I Just Want You to Know Who I Am
by JKing88
Summary: Will Horton has an uneventful 22nd birthday until he receives a gift from someone he never wanted to hear from again. Combined with an odd request from a neighboring police department, Will's mysterious time in California proves more much revealing than he ever imagined. AU-Will is alive.
1. Chapter 1

**I Just Want You to Know Who I Am**

 **Prologue**

 **October 13, 2015**

Will Horton, voice hoarse, working through a cold, said into his phone, "Goodnight, um, good morning."

Will ended the call and sat on the edge of a sofa nearby. The sofa belonged to his cousin Abigail Deveraux and her fiancé Ben Weston. Will had been helping Abigail work through her problems earlier in the day. It was easier for Will to focus on someone's pain and heartache than his own. Now, Will was waiting in her apartment for the cable man to come for her.

Will glanced at his phone. He needed to change the lock screen picture. Every time he touched his phone an unpleasant sensation slithered down his stomach. Will could no longer look at a picture of his Sonny Kiriakis' smiling face without his stomach churning.

Will didn't expect Sonny, his husband, to call him back. It didn't stop the foolish bit of hope blossoming inside of his chest, though. Sonny hadn't returned any of his other calls. Will didn't expect this time to be any different. Only now, now Will admitted what Sonny wanted all along. Will couldn't figure it out before but he understood now. Everything that happened was his fault, all of it. Maybe Sonny would talk to him now that Will knew what everyone else knew.

 _Buzz Buzz_

So trapped in his thoughts, Will jumped when he felt his phone vibrate in his hand. Without stopping to look, Will answered with a breathless, "Hello?!"

"Well," Sami Brady, Will's mother, said without preamble, "It's finished. Not a minute too soon because I have no idea what those executives were doing."

Will, slumping in his seat, felt disappointment settling into his bones. It wasn't Sonny. It would never be Sonny.

"Will?" Sami questioned, "Will?"

"Huh?" Will rubbed the palm of his hand up and down his face. He hadn't been listening to anything his mother said.

"Are you okay?" Sami asked maternal instinct she seldom showed lacing her tone. "You sound sick."

"It's just allergies," Will said. "I'm fine."

"You're not," Sami insisted, "But we can pretend you are for now. Anyway, I was trying to tell you about cancelling the movie."

"Yeah?" Will's eyebrows crinkled together.

"About time too," Sami snorted. "I don't know what those morons were doing but it wasn't making a movie. Why they thought I'd let them continue when they fired my son, I'll never know. Oh, and guess what?"

"What?" Will asked. He hated thinking about that movie and anything or anyone involved with it. He was glad it was over.

"They were still using your script, the last one," Sami informed Will. "I mean, they didn't change anything. It was word-for-word what you wrote."

"Why would they use that?" Will wondered, rubbing underneath his nose. "I mean, they fired me. They said I wasn't any good."

"Well, they must have changed their minds because it had your name on it still," Sami said. "Either way, I'm glad it's over with. The entire thing was a mistake."

"Yeah," Will swallowed. He looked at the pale flesh on the inside of his wrist. If he tried hard enough he could see dark swirling shapes and feel a soft touch.

 _Stop it,_ Will closed his eyes. _You don't think about that anymore._

"You should come see us," Sami suggested. "You and Ari."

"I don't know," Will mumbled.

"It's not the same without you around," Sami revealed in a soft, uncharacteristic tone. "There's no one here to boss me around or make me crazy. It's unsettling."

The corners of Will's lips lifted up. "Just wait until the twins hit puberty. There'll be plenty of yelling."

"You know what I mean," Sami said. "I miss you."

"As hard as it is to believe," Will responded, "I miss you too."

Sami snorted. "See? That right there. That's one of the things I miss most."

Will turned his head toward the door when he heard the doorknob jiggling. Ben Weston, tall, handsome, and confused, looked at Will with a quirked eyebrow.

"Hold on a sec," Will said into the phone. "Hi," Will stood up and directed toward Ben. "I was waiting for the cable guy for Abigail. But since you're here…" Will trailed off.

"Oh, hey," Ben nodded. His eyes kept glancing toward the trashcan near Will. "Thanks."

"Yep, no problem," Will said. "Um, you can call me about wedding stuff whenever you need."

"Yeah, I will," Ben smiled. "Just don't screw up my bachelor party like T did with yours and you'll be golden."

"Ha," Will forced out a laugh. He didn't need any memories of the events surrounding his wedding right now. "I'll start looking into it. Bye."

"See you," Will heard over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Why are you planning a bachelor party?" Sami hissed in Will's ear.

"Um," Will hurried down the hall. "No reason. Look, I'm not sure about coming to visit just yet. Ari just started preschool and I don't want to take her away for a vacation."

Sami knew Will was deflecting but went along with the change of subject. "Thanksgiving then. You and Ari are all mine."

"Sounds good," the more Will thought about it the happier it made him. He did miss Johnny, Allie, and Sydney something fierce. He even missed Sami more than he thought he ever would. It would be nice to see them all again.

"We can have a belated birthday party," Sami suggested.

"I'll have to check with Gabi about it but I'd like that," Will said. Gabi Hernandez, the mother of Will's daughter, was in the local prison. A few weeks back everyone thought Gabi might get out early but it didn't pan out. Will didn't think he'd forgive Rafe, Gabi's brother, for getting his hopes up like that.

Sami made a noise from the back of her throat indicating her disapproval.

"I like to keep Gabi involved in our life," Will reminded Sami. "She should get a say in where her daughter goes."

"She should have thought of that before murdering someone," Sami sniffed.

"Pot, meet kettle," Will mumbled as he walked out of the apartment building and into the street.

"If your situations were different, if you were in jail and Gabi was raising Ari, she wouldn't give a shit about you," Sami said with a surprising amount of venom behind her words.

"Yeah? Well, I know what it's like to have a parent in jail," Will reminded Sami. "Both parents, in fact, and I'm doing what's best for Ari."

"That's not the same," Sami argued.

"You almost died there," Will said. "And I remember that. So, excuse me if I want my daughter to have happy memories of her mom."

"Fine," Sami sighed. "But one of these days you'll learn that girl is never going to treat you the way you treat her."

"She's in jail," Will said. "I'm not worried."

"If you say so," Sami replied. "Now, how are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Will shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, a chill nipping his skin.

"You know what I mean," Sami insisted. "How are you doing?"

Will slowed his pace down to a near crawl. Despite what he told Ben, he had nowhere to be. He didn't have any projects to work on and Ari was still at school. Will spent more time in his apartment, alone, than anywhere else.

"I don't know," Will answered after a few moments. "I don't."

"Talk to me," Sami requested. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I called him earlier, Sonny," Will confessed. He spotted an empty bench to sit on near the town square. "He didn't answer but I left a message. I think he might call this time."

"Yeah?" Sami asked, trying to sound upbeat.

"I realized it was my fault, all of it," Will said with a decisive nod. "That's what he's been waiting for, I know it. He was waiting for me to own up to it all. Now he knows I'm willing to take the blame and he'll talk to me."

As Will talked a deep frown marred Sami's features. Her arms crossed and her jaw set. "You aren't at fault for everything."

"I am," Will said with utmost confidence. "Everything that happened is because of me. And it's time I take responsibility for that."

"You can take responsibility for your mistakes," Sami stated, "Not his."

"But I'm the reason it all happened," Will argued. "If it wasn't for me then-,"

"You don't know what would have happened either way," Sami pointed out. "You made your mistakes and he made his. And if he can't forgive you or talk to you or God forbid, acknowledge you without you proclaiming that he is an innocent little snowflake and you're a monster, well, that is not the type of man I want you with at all."

"Mom," Will shook his head. "It's me. It's my fault. I'm the reason for everything."

"You-," Sami cut off mid-thought.

"I'm not getting into this," Will insisted. "I know what I'm doing, what I have to do. If it's the only way to make things right then I'll do it. I'll do anything."

Sami wanted to argue. Wanted to reach through the phone and grab Will by the shoulders and shake some sense into him. She settled, instead, for sighing. "Fine. Take the blame for everything. I won't stop you."

Will knew that was as good as it was gonna get. "Thank you."

"Just," Sami couldn't stop herself from saying more, "I want you to know that even if you make mistakes and you hurt people, you deserve more than that. More than someone who abandons you and your daughter after stringing you and another guy around for months. You deserve happiness. You deserve to have someone love you the way you love them. That's all. I gotta go. Don't hesitate to call if you need someone to talk to. And if you don't, I'll call you later in the week anyway. Start thinking about what you want for you birthday too. I love you."

"Love you too," Will whispered before he heard the familiar beep of the phone disconnecting.

Will walked around town mulling over his mother's words. She didn't understand. He deserved Sonny's treatment. He deserved it all.

While lost in thought, he gave a perfunctory glance into the window of a used bookstore. The display featured recommended books from the staff. The middle book was a Harry Potter book, _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._

Will paused in front of the window, going so far as to put his hands against the glass. Will grew up with those books. They felt like they were a part of Will's soul. But he did all he could not to think about them since his time in California. He couldn't think about them. Here, though, with the book right before his eyes, it was all Will could see.

Closing his eyes, Will recalled the last conversation he had about Harry Potter. A soft hand against his skin, the tickle of a paintbrush over his inner wrist. Long conversations with someone he never should have trusted.

A voice cleared behind him causing Will to snap his eyes open. Seeing Paul Narita before him made the uncomfortable knot in Will's throat even bigger.

"Um," Paul looked like he didn't know what to say or if he should say something at all. "You alright?"

Will stared at Paul without saying anything for a few moments. "Fine," Will looked back in the window, "Just looking."

If thinking about Sonny made Will nauseous and thinking about California made Will anxious, thinking about Paul was something even worse. Not able to stand being in his presence any longer, Will mumbled a quick goodbye and hurried off.

* * *

After giving Ari a bath and reading her a bedtime story, Ari fell into an easy sleep. Will took a few moments to admire his daughter. Watch the rise and fall of her chest and hope that he hadn't ruined her family forever.

Will thought back to what Sami said, about the movie studio still using his script. Deliberating for a moment, Will sighed. He went to the hall closet and grabbed a box he shoved in the back. A box filled with mementos from his time working in California. A journal of notes he jotted down while writing, itineraries from meetings he attended. Even a copy of the last script he wrote.

Will didn't think it was bad. In fact, he thought it was quite good. He spent an entire weekend fine tuning it, pouring over every plot point and bit of dialogue. He incorporated every suggestion the studio executives had. Welcomed the help _he_ offered Will.

But when Will walked into the office that Monday with his script in hand it was to a strange scene. He overheard a tense, whispered conversation. Saw two large intimidating men exiting the office. Two men that gave Will startled looks when they noticed him.

Will didn't know what the meeting was about but when he met with the executive a few minutes later, he fired Will and took his script. There was something off about it all. The executive had always been a big supporter of Will. He was kind and joked with Will often. At that last meeting, though, he couldn't meet Will's eyes and seemed to have more sweat than usual on his brow.

The whole situation was odd and it still left Will confused. Even when the studio brought _him_ on board, the executive seemed apologetic. It felt like he wasn't any happier about it than Will. The whole thing was a mess career-wise. That was ignoring the mess Will made of his personal life too.

The worst part of it all, getting fired wasn't the biggest disappointment for Will. If he was honest with himself, something he didn't try often, what happened after hurt even worse.

Will rummaged through the box and found a small scrap of paper with an elaborate doodle of a flower. He remembered watching as the drawing came to life. Watched as a delicate hand twisted this way and that without any thought or plan. Mesmerized by its creation almost as much as by the artist. He remembered the shy smile that accompanied the picture when it was given to him.

 _Stop it,_ Will thought as he crumpled the picture into a ball. _Why did you keep any of this crap?_

Throwing the balled up paper into the box, Will slammed the lid down. He shoved the box back in the closet as far as he could. Hoping he'd shove it so far he'd never think about it again.

Only, now that Will opened the box, he couldn't seem to get his memories to fit back inside. The conversation Will overheard wasn't the only strange moment during that time. For whatever reason, most of the time when Will made or received calls, they'd go to voicemail. Every time he called Sonny, voicemail. Any time Sonny called him, voicemail. If Will called his father, Chad, T, either grandma, anyone, it never went through.

If that wasn't alarming enough, none of Will's checks ever made it to the proper checking account. No matter how many direct deposit forms Will would fill out, the money went into a different account. It all went to the account Will used before opening a joint one with Sonny. At the time, Will suspected his mother of tampering with it. Certain she was making some point about his financials but now Will wasn't so sure.

Now that time had passed, now that he could think it over, something more must have been going on, it had to. It was the only thing that made sense.

Will decided not to worry about it now. It was in the past and there wasn't anything Will could do to change it.

Will started tidying up. He put away Ari's stray toys, cups, and plates of leftover snacks. He loaded the dishwasher and got ready for bed.

He checked his phone one last time before plugging it into its charger. No call from Sonny. Will didn't know why he was so disappointed. He was used to it by now.

* * *

Author's note:

Title is taken from the song _Iris_ by Goo Goo Dolls.

So, this is going to delve into Will's time in California. I have a hard time believing that Will cheated on Sonny and just casually came back to Salem like nothing happened. I think it's pretty obvious the show added that in last minute to make Will look even worse. I'm going to put my own spin on it and bring a bit of mystery here.

Also, this is going to ignore 90% of what happened on the show and probably 90% of the characters.

I don't have an end game pairing yet. It could be Will/Sonny or I might want Will with someone else. I'm just not sure yet.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think, please. The next chapter will delve more into the actual plot.


	2. Chapter 2

**November 16, 2015**

"Dad, it's fine," Will said as he balanced his phone between his shoulder and ear. "You have to work. I get it."

"I tried to get back to town, I did," Lucas Horton, Will's father, promised from a hotel in Chicago. "You know I wouldn't miss your birthday for anything."

"Yeah, I know. Like I keep telling you, it's fine," Will said as he slipped on his jacket and grabbed his keys and wallet. "But I gotta go pick up Ari."

"You're sure you're alright, right?" Lucas stressed. "Because I know that things are kind of rough for you right now and-,"

"Trust me," Will interrupted. "I'm just fine. Ari and I are gonna get dinner at the pub and have a slumber party."

"That doesn't sound like much of a birthday," Lucas responded.

"It makes Ari happy," Will defended. "That's all I need, time with my daughter."

"If you say so," Lucas said not convinced in the slightest. "I'll be home in a few days and we'll do something, okay?"

"Sure," Will said. "Have a good rest of your trip."

"I will," Lucas replied. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Thanks," Will said as he hung up.

Will didn't know why his dad was making such a fuss. It was just a day. Or, at least, that's what Will told himself when it seemed no one else remembered.

 _It's not like 22 is that big of a deal anyway,_ Will thought as he headed in the direction of Ari's preschool.

* * *

Will and Ari walked into the Brady Pub with their hands swinging together. Will wore Ari's My Little Pony backpack over his shoulders. He was rather curious why it seemed heavier than when he packed it that morning.

"Did you have a good time at school?" Will asked Ari as he searched for a free table. He grabbed a booster seat and lead them to an open booth.

"Uh huh," Ari nodded, blonde pigtails swinging as she tried to take off her jacket by herself.

"What did you do?" Will questioned, pulling off the jacket caught on Ari's sleeves. He lifted her onto her seat, buckling her into the booster seat so she couldn't escape.

"Play!" Ari cheered, squirming around so much Will almost couldn't snap her in place.

"You only played, huh?" Will looked down at Ari's hands covered in marker. "Then what's that?"

"Surprise," Ari shouted before lowering her voice and saying, "Shh!"

"Oh, okay," Will smiled as he sat down next to her. He unzipped the front pocket of her backpack to get a few toys. "What do you want for dinner? A sandwich?"

Ari shook her head back and forth, making grabby hands for the toys.

"No? Okay, how about a cheeseburger?" Will suggested, holding the toys just out of reach until she answered.

"Nu-uh," Ari responded, sticking out her tongue and making a face. "No."

"Macaroni and cheese?" Will tried.

"No 'roni cheese," Ari said. "Can't like."

"Yes, you can," Will argued before leaning his head in real close to Ari's. "I know what you want. You want chicken nuggets."

"Yes!" Ari yelled, big doe eyes gleaming. "Yes!"

"Gee, how did I know you were going to pick that?" Will mused, placing the toys in front of Ari.

Too busy playing, Ari ignored Will.

A waitress walked over to their table, asking, "Are you Will Horton?"

"Uh," Will narrowed his eyes, "Yeah."

"Oh, good," the waitress smiled. "I was afraid I missed you. Anyway, your dinner is almost ready."

"I didn't order anything yet," Will pointed out.

"Someone phoned it in," the waitress informed him. Without waiting for Will to say anything, the waitress took off.

"That's weird," Will said out loud. "Wonder who did that."

The waitress returned with a Coke for Will and an apple juice for Ari before Will could even order them.

"Now, that's just freaky," Will commented. Before the waitress could leave again, Will asked, "So, who ordered all this?"

"I'm not sure," the waitress paused half-way through turning away. "I didn't answer the phone. But I did hear she was loud and pushy. Sorry, that doesn't answer your question, does it?"

"Oh, no," Will smiled at her as he opened a straw to shove in Ari's juice. "That explains everything."

Once the waitress left and Will gave Ari her drink, he said, "We'll have to call Grammy later and thank her."

* * *

Will ate everything Sami ordered him. He was impressed his mother knew him better than he thought. Sami ordered Will a smorgasbord of his favorite foods. Everything from cheeseburger sliders to several different kinds of garlic bread and everything between. Will didn't even think the pub offered most of the items. He had to wonder just what kind of strings his mother pulled to get him all this.

As Will polished off a few ribs and Ari devoured her French fries, Will heard the door to the pub opening. He smiled when he saw his grandma, Marlena Evans, and her on-again-off-again partner, John Black, walk inside. His smile drooped when he noticed Paul trailing after them.

For a brief moment there, Will thought his grandma came to join him and Ari. That she remembered today was his birthday. But, as he watched her search for a table with John and Paul, Will realized that wasn't the case.

Keeping his head downturned, Will hoped to get through the rest of dinner without them seeing him. Will forgot that he seldom got what he wanted when Marlena turned her head and spotted Will and Ari. With a deep sigh, Will put on a brave face when all three headed in their direction.

Will wiped his face with a napkin. He didn't need any of them seeing him with barbeque sauce all over his face.

"Will," Marlena greeted with a smile. "Hi, Ari," Marlena wiggled her fingers in Ari's direction before turning to Will again. "I haven't seen you in person in quite a while. As much fun as our word games are, it is nice to see your face."

Will did his best to look at his grandma and his grandma only. Out of the corner of his eye, Will could see John frowning at him and Paul staring.

"Yeah, well," Will thought of what to say, "I've been busy."

"Work?" Marlena wondered with a curious expression.

"Something like that," Will mumbled even though it was a lie. He hadn't worked on an assignment in several weeks.

"I see," Marlena said. She looked at the hodgepodge collection of food on the table. "That's some meal you're having. What's the occasion?"

Will's eyes darted to Marlena's face and he froze for a moment. Swallowing down his hurt, Will said, "Nothing important. Just felt like having something different."

Marlena nodded. "Well, it was nice seeing you, sweetheart. You and Ari should come by and visit me sometime. We could have lunch tomorrow."

"Ari started preschool," Will said. He was certain he already told Marlena that as well. In fact, Marlena was the one to suggest he enroll her. "So, she can't go to lunch."

"Oh," Marlena's face scrunched together for a moment before saying, "Well, this weekend then, dinner just the three of us."

"Maybe," Will avoided giving her a direct answer.

"If nothing else I'll see you on Thanksgiving, won't I?" Marlena grinned. She placed a hand on John's arm and rubbed up and down. "We're having a little get-together. We'd love for you to come."

Will got the feeling the only thing John would love for him to do was disappear off the face of the earth. Will always considered John an important person in his life but now the feeling wasn't mutual. Or, at least, it wasn't in the face of John's picture perfect son.

There was no way in hell Will was spending his holiday with Paul even if he didn't have plans.

"We're spending Thanksgiving with Mom and the kids," Will informed Marlena with a strained smile. "But thanks for the offer."

"Oh," Marlena frowned. "I didn't know that. Your mother didn't mention anything to me."

"She didn't? Well, I guess you know now," Will said in what he hoped was a polite tone.

John cleared his throat, gaining Marlena's attention. "Yes, well, we'll leave you to finish your meal. Call me. I think we need to catch up."

"Right," Will nodded. He would say anything to get them to leave faster. "Sure. Bye."

Will breathed a sigh of relief when they moved to a table on the other side of the pub. He had no intention of catching up with his grandma. The last few times he tried to talk with her, talk the way they did years before, did not go well.

 _Why would I want to catch up with someone that thinks I'm a slut?_ Will snorted to himself, shaking his head. _Especially when she spends more time with Paul now than me._

"Grandma didn't even remember my birthday," Will whispered. He turned to face Ari. An abrupt laugh bubbled out of him. While he wasn't looking, Ari managed to get her face covered in ketchup. "Oh, baby girl, what am I gonna do with you?"

Ari, unconcerned with her appearance, gave Will a toothy grin. Will got to work on cleaning up her face and hands with a series of wet wipes. He got the majority of it off. The rest would have to wait until bath time.

"Daddy," Ari tugged on the sleeve of Will's shirt. "I has surprise."

"You do?" Will said. "What is it?"

"Surprise," Ari tilted her head and gave Will a judgmental look.

"Oh, of course, my mistake," Will chuckled. "Is the surprise for me?"

"Uh huh," Ari nodded. "I make!"

"Ooooh," Will responded. "Where is it?"

Ari pointed to her backpack, smacking her hands on the table in excitement.

"In here?" Will unzipped the bag, making a big show of reacting to everything. "Is this a card for me?"

Ari nodded, hair flying again. "I make!"

Will smiled at the handmade card. He would have to thank the preschool workers tomorrow for helping Ari. The top of the card said Happy Birthday, Daddy! The bottom featured scribbles in various color markers which explained the state of Ari's hands.

"Wow," Will said. He pulled Ari into a big hug. "I love it!"

"More!" Ari shouted, getting loud in her excitement.

"More, for me? You're spoiling me," Will insisted. He pulled out a macaroni bracelet and a construction paper birthday crown. "These are the best presents ever," Will told Ari as he put on his bracelet and crown. The bracelet was a perfect fit while the crown kept slipping to cover his eyes. "How do I look?"

Ari giggled and giggled as Will posed in various positions for her entertainment.

"Wait," Will held up his hand. He pushed his hips off the booth to fish his phone out of his pocket. "We need a picture."

Will pushed his face real close to Ari's and held out his camera. "What do you think?" Will showed Ari the picture.

"No, need stuff," Ari pouted at Will.

Knowing what she meant, Will opened his Snapchat app. The two laughed as Will let Ari pick filters until she found one she liked.

"That one's too cute," Will decided as he looked at Ari's face with a puppy dog nose and ears.

"Yes," Ari agreed with a decisive nod.

The waitress came over with a giant cupcake and a birthday candle in the middle. It was Will's favorite, red velvet.

Will ducked low in his seat when the rest of the wait staff crowded around the table to sing to him.

"Don't worry about the bill or the tip," the waitress said after the song finished, smiling at Will's red cheeks. "It's all taken care of. Oh and don't forget to make a wish."

Will looked at the candle dripping blue wax toward the frosting on his cupcake. He didn't much believe in wishes at this point. He doubted he would get what he wanted anyway. But, it didn't hurt to try.

Closing his eyes, Will thought, _I want to be happy again, please,_ and blew out his candle.

"Let's eat," Will peeled the lining off the cupcake and shared with Ari. The cupcake was so large the two of them almost couldn't eat it all.

Will took another picture of him and Ari both covered in red cupcake crumbs. He made a quick job of wiping them off before getting ready to go.

As they walked outside, Ari clinging to Will's hand, Will ignored the shocked look on Marlena's face when she caught sight of Will's birthday crown and realized the song had been for him.

* * *

Will let Ari play at the park until the sun went down as he talked on the phone. Hearing Johnny, Allie, and Sydney wish him a happy birthday almost erased the pain of their grandmother forgetting about him, almost.

After talking with Sami for a time, Will called Ari over. It was getting dark and they needed to go home.

Will and Ari stopped by the mailbox before heading inside their apartment. Will ignored the stabbing pains in his chest seeing the name Jackson Kiriakis on a few bills. Tossing those aside, Will didn't want to worry about those tonight. Will smiled when he opened a birthday card from Austin and Carrie. At the end of the stack of mail was a small package.

"What do you think this is?" Will asked Ari as he rummaged through a drawer for scissors to slice through the plastic tape on top.

"Dunno," Ari said as she played with her toys on the floor unconcerned.

"Me either," Will said as he opened the package. Inside, Will found a small plastic bag with a necklace inside of it. As he unraveled it, Will mumbled, "What in the world?"

For one brief, wild moment Will thought the present was from Sonny. Thought his husband remembered his existence. Thought everything was going to be okay, and his birthday wish came true.

Will recognized the necklace right away. Recognized it from the book it came from and from a tattoo he admired months ago. Dark black ink on brown skin showed after a long discussion deep into the night.

No, Sonny wouldn't send him this. There was only one person that knew what the necklace symbolized to Will. It wasn't anyone Will wanted to see again.

"Oooh," Ari popped up beside Will. "Pretty!"

Before Will could stop her, Ari grabbed the necklace from Will's hand. She threw it over her own neck and smiled up at Will with squinty eyes.

"Beautiful," Will said in a weak voice.

"I keep?" Ari questioned, rubbing one of her toes into the carpet on the floor.

"Yeah, it's all yours," Will assured her.

"Yay," Ari jogged back to her toys, necklace flopping against her stomach from how long it was.

Will sat down on the couch and looked at the necklace hanging off Ari. It featured a straight line, a circle through the middle of it with a triangle surrounding them both. The symbol of the deathly hallows from the Harry Potter series.

For the life of him, Will couldn't figure out how _he_ remembered Will's birthday but most of his family forgot.

 _Knock Knock_

Will glanced at the time on their cable box and frowned. He wasn't sure who would stop by for a visit at this hour. Refusing to get his hopes up again, Will looked through the peephole in his door. Outside the door were three men, two in police uniforms and one in a suit.

Will opened the door with a frown. "Can I help you, officers?"

Will didn't recognize any of them and he was quite familiar with the Salem police department. Now that he was closer, Will realized the uniforms and badges weren't from the Salem PD at all.

"You're Will Horton?" asked the only man in plainclothes. He was tall and wide with dark skin and eyes.

"Yes," Will looked at the man with a strange expression on his face.

"I'm Detective Balewa," the man said sticking out his hand. "I'm with the Fairfield police department."

Will lifted his eyebrows as he shook his hand. Fairfield was a city about an hour northeast of Salem.

"Bit out of your jurisdiction, boys," Will commented, leaning against the doorjamb.

"Yes," Balewa agreed. "We talked to your grandfather, I believe, Roman Brady?" seeing Will nod, he added, "He gave us your address, said you would talk with us."

"About what?" Will asked, annoyed his grandfather didn't give him a heads up. "Because I've never been to Fairfield."

"No, we didn't think so," Balewa acknowledged. "Is it alright if we come inside?"

"Oh, right," Will stepped aside to let them enter. "Um, Ari, baby," Will got her attention. He bent down in front of her. "Daddy is gonna talk to these men. How about you play with my phone in your room?"

Will took his phone out of his pocket and enabled the kid mode. Ari, too excited to play with her apps, skipped out of the room, phone held in her hand like a prized possession.

"She's cute," Balewa told Will.

"Thanks," Will stood up and gestured to the sofa. "Um, why don't you all sit?"

"Pardon me, these are Officers Ramirez and Washington," Balewa indicated the men with him.

"Nice to meet you," Will nodded his head at them. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs, sitting on the edge of the TV stand. "So, what is this about? I'm not sure how I can be of any help."

"Well, you see," Balewa pressed his fingertips together. "Fairfield is small. Our population is less than 6,000. We don't have many crimes to solve. Occasional burglary, vandalism, teenagers running amok on holidays, nothing serious."

"Okay," Will said not sure where this was going.

"At least, nothing serious until now," Officer Ramirez amended.

"Now?" Will repeated.

"We've had a series of murders," Balewa admitted.

"What does this have to do with me?" Will wondered, afraid they were accusing him of something. "I told you I've never been to Fairfield before."

"It has to do with you because we found these on all three bodies," Officer Washington pulled three evidence bags out of his coat pocket. "The first time, we didn't think anything of it. When it happened at all three murders, it couldn't be a coincidence."

Will took the evidence bags, looking them over. Each bag contained a _Sonix Magazine_ opened to a different article of Will's.

"We didn't know it was murder in the beginning," Balewa told Will. "They all looked like single car accidents. The autopsies told a different story."

"Lethal overdoses," Ramirez said. "All of them."

"Well, then how do you know it was murder?" Will questioned with a raised brow. "What if they took the drugs and got behind the wheel?"

"Because the medical examiner discovered they were dead for at least a few hours before the accidents occurred," Balewa said.

Will's lips formed a circle as a quiet, "Oh," escaped his mouth.

"We do have drugs in Fairfield," Washington said. "Problems with pot and prescription drugs but not this one." At Will's curious look, Washington explained, "Ketamine."

"So much ketamine," Balewa added, "That it would have brought down an elephant in about ten seconds. None of those men could afford that much of any drug nor would they take it unless under duress."

"So, someone pumped them full of drugs and staged a car crash?" Will tried to work it all out in his head.

"Yes," Balewa nodded.

"And the articles?" Will asked.

"We're not sure yet," Balewa sighed. "Other than it has to mean something."

"Do you have any idea who's behind this?" Will questioned, disturbed that his writing was connected to this.

"All we know for sure," Washington said, "Is where the victims were before they died."

"Which is where?" Will didn't like the looks the three men were giving him.

"Well," Balewa shifted in his seat. "That's another reason we were keen to talk to you. See, our police department is small just like our town. We have resources, technology and such. But we don't have anyone, um, comfortable enough for this."

"Comfortable?" Will's eyes narrowed.

"The last known location for all the victims, all three male victims, was a club on the edge of town," Balewa told Will. "A gay club."

"Um," Wil paused for a moment, "The victims were all gay?"

"No," Balewa said surprising Will. "Not as far as we can tell. We don't have any idea why they'd have been at the club at all. All the men appear straight. We thought maybe it was a closeted situation. We dug into their backgrounds but there isn't anything to suggest they were gay, bisexual, pansexual, anything."

Will blinked a few times thinking it over. "You came to me because none of your officers are comfortable going to a gay club?"

"Well," Balewa said looking down at his feet for a moment. "Yes and no. I don't believe anyone on my force, male or female, would fare well in the club, nosing around. For one, they aren't going to blend in since everyone knows everyone in Fairfield. Besides, I wouldn't want to cause any political unrest sending in officers to the only gay club in town. We've kept quiet the fact that each man was at the club before they died. We don't want things getting blown out of proportion before we know what we're dealing with."

"Not to mention," Washington interjected, "The owner isn't a big fan of ours. There were a lot of incidents when he opened the club. Protests and things like that. He blames us for not stopping it soon enough. If we go near his club, things will get ugly."

"What do you need me for?" Will shook his head. "I'm not a police officer. What am I supposed to do?"

"We," Balewa indicated his officers before putting a hand on his chest, "I was hoping you could visit the club and just look around."

"Look around?" Will repeated with wide eyes. "At a club where men die and their dead bodies are found with my writing? You want me to go there?"

"It's a lot to ask," Balewa acknowledged. "We're not sure if it'll be dangerous or not. We don't know what business the men had at the club."

"We're not even sure if they went inside or if they met someone there and left right away. Or if this is political and someone wants to have the police come down on the club because of who it caters to. Or if it's the other way around and it is someone from the club," Washington said. "We're just trying to get as much information as we can without setting the town on edge."

"We'd take all precautions, of course. Send you in with some surveillance equipment," Balewa said as well. "Make sure that you're safe."

"And you couldn't ask a police officer that's gay and knows what they're doing?" Will offered.

"You know what to do," Washington said. "We talked to your grandfather, remember."

"Not to mention," Ramirez added, "The benefits of something like this to your career."

"My career?" Will asked.

"Think about it," Ramirez said with a shrug. "You do a little undercover journalism work with the backing of the police department. Help solve a few murders. Murders connected to your writing. Sounds like quite the story."

"Just think about it," Balewa suggested. "You'd be well compensated, well protected. And you'd have the support of the whole Fairfield police department."

Will stared at them for a few moments. "Did you tell my grandfather this plan of yours?"

"Ah," Balewa gave Will a sheepish smile. "No, and we'd rather he didn't find out. He's got his hands tied cleaning up the mess Salem's latest killer left behind. We wouldn't bother you if it wasn't so important, though."

"And if I say no?" Will questioned.

"Then we'd figure something out," Balewa said as he stood up. "Here's my card. Give it a few days to think over. But I'll need an answer as soon as possible. We'd rather get this under control before we find another body."

Ramirez and Washington stood up as well and walked to the door.

"It was nice meeting you, Will Horton," Balewa stated. "I hope to see you again soon. Sorry for disturbing you so late."

Will walked the men to the door. Once they left, Will leaned against the door and sighed, mind reeling.

Ari, rushing out of her room with the phone outstretched, pouted up at Will. She drained the battery.

"Fix," Ari requested, lower lip sticking out.

"Sorry, baby girl," Will took the phone. "It's time for Daddy's phone to go to sleep."

"Nooo," Ari whined. "No sleep."

"It's time for you to get into bed too," Will realized, checking the time. "Way past bedtime."

Will gave Ari a quick bath before getting her in her pajamas.

"Since it's a special day," Will told Ari, "How about we have a slumber party?"

"Party?" Ari repeated with a bright smile. "I like party."

"Me too," Will heaved Ari into his arms. He ran through the apartment making airplane noises before plopping Ari on his bed. "Alright, little miss. It's time for our party to start."

Will changed into his pajamas before helping Ari brush her teeth. Once they were both ready for bed, Will peeled back the covers for Ari to slide inside.

"Today was a weird birthday," Will said as Ari snuggled up against him.

"My daddy's birthday," Ari said in a knowledgeable tone, clutching him nice and tight.

"Yep," Will nodded. "Now, let's read a story and get to bed."

It only took a few minutes for Ari to fall fast asleep against Will's chest. Will closed the storybook he read and tossed it over the edge of the bed where it made a dull thump against the carpet. It was late for Ari's bedtime but still early for Will.

As he often did while in bed, Will wondered what Sonny was doing. If he was fast asleep or if he was out enjoying the Parisian nightlife. If Sonny looked at the date and felt a niggling in the back of his mind that today meant something, anything. If Sonny forgot or ignored it on purpose.

Will wasn't sure which scenario would be worse.

Trying to put Sonny out of his mind, Will thought back to the gift he received, the necklace. There was no card or note but Will knew who it had to be from. He just didn't know why. Why now? And why the secrecy? Was it because the movie ended and _he_ thought Will might talk to him now?

It didn't make sense just like the strange visit from the policemen. The fact that they thought Will, of all people, could help them, left Will reeling. In a way, Will supposed he could understand. Their town wasn't like Salem. Crimes were rare. Now they're faced with three murders connected to a gay club and Will's writing.

The more he thought about it, the more intrigued Will became. Who was behind the murders? Why did the victims all have an article of Will's on their person? Did the victims own the magazine or were they planted?

As he drifted off to sleep, Will contemplated everything he could write about. Three mysterious policemen coming to his house on his birthday. Going undercover, helping apprehend a murderer. The officers were right. It could do wonders for his career.

* * *

Author's Note:

Look, something resembling a plot.

Thanks to everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited, and/or read. I appreciate it so much.


	3. Chapter 3

Will sat across from the property manager of his apartment complex. A deep frown etched across his face. "What are you talking about? I paid the rent four days ago. I walked in here and handed you a check."

"And that check bounced," the woman said with a stern expression. "Look, I'm sorry but that's our policy. It's in your lease. I'm sorry but there isn't anything I can do."

"Bounced?" Will repeated. He pulled out his phone and checked his banking app. He didn't understand. Just two days ago there was plenty of money. There was always money. Sonny wasn't talking to Will but he still provided for him and Ari. How could there be nothing?

Will looked at the account history and nothing. There was nothing. The entire section was blank.

 _Where could the money have gone if no one touched it?_

"Mr. Horton?" the woman tried to get Will's attention. "Mr. Horton?"

"Sorry," Will shook his head and pulled his eyes away from his phone. "I-um-I don't know how this happened."

"I am sorry," the woman repeated. "But there isn't anything I can do, not this late. I'm sorry."

"Right," Will bowed his head. "Right."

* * *

"Thanks for letting us stay with you," Will said in a subdued tone. "I know it's not ideal."

"Will," Lucas rolled his eyes at his son, "Shut up. I offered up Allie's room. I doubt she'll care."

"Careful!" Will cautioned Ari as she dug through a box of her packed toys. Once satisfied Ari was alright, Will sighed. "I just don't understand how this happened. I've been on the phone with the bank all day and they have no clue. How does almost $3,500 disappear?"

"I don't know either, son," Lucas shook his head. He walked over to his living room with a strong cup of coffee for Will. "It doesn't make any sense."

"I know I had enough to cover all the bills for this month," Will argued as he took the mug. "I planned it all out. Every last penny accounted for. Where did it all go?"

"And you haven't heard anything from um-uh-Sonny?" Lucas pressed. He wouldn't mention Sonny at all unless he had to.

Will shook his head. "I left a voicemail but I don't expect him to call back. He never does. I don't think this time will be different."

"Well, you weren't evicted the other times," Lucas pointed out. "I can't believe that stupid apartment manager."

After getting the news of their eviction, Will called Lucas in a panic. Lucas stormed into the leasing office ranting and raving but to no avail. The manager wouldn't budge even with Lucas offering to pay for that month's rent and any late fees.

Will and Lucas packed everything up as fast as they could. Most went into a storage unit while the essentials came to Lucas' condo, Will and Ari's new residence.

"I haven't had a project in a long time," Will told Lucas, shamefaced. "So, I'm not making any money. I've been careful with everything but I've relied on Sonny. Maybe he just got tired of it. Paying for someone he doesn't care about anymore."

"That's not-you can't think like that," Lucas urged. He put his hand on Will's shoulder and squeezed. "You saw for yourself, the bank doesn't even know what happened. And despite everything else, Sonny wouldn't do that to you and Ari. We'll figure everything out. And until we do, you'll stay with me."

"Yeah," Will nodded, "Thanks."

Will was grateful to his father but Will was an adult and a father himself. He needed to take care of himself and his daughter. He needed to prove he could care for his daughter.

Will needed money and he could think of only one avenue that would give him some quick.

"Dad," Will asked after a few moments, "Can you keep an eye on Ari for a few hours? I need to go to Fairfield."

* * *

"I'm glad you could make it," Detective Balewa told Will as he ushered him into his office. "Of course, I'll make sure you're compensated for travel as well as for any hours put in here."

"Good," Will said. "What do you want me to do anyway?"

"We'll get to that," Balewa said, "But first, I'd like you to meet someone."

A few minutes after that, a knock sounded at the door. Officer Ramirez ushered a young woman into the office. The woman had tear tracks on her face and clutched a tissue in her hand.

Balewa stood up, rushing to the woman. He put his arm around her, guiding her to a seat next to Will. "Will Horton, this is Natalie Boltz. Her husband Mark was our latest victim."

The woman, Natalie, gave a small sob at that.

"Oh," Will frowned, lips pressed together. "Hi."

"We thought you might want to talk to Natalie before we go to the club tonight," Balewa suggested. "If you're up to it, Natalie."

"Yeah," she sniffled, dragging the back of her hand over her face. "Anything I can do to help."

"I have some paperwork I need to fill out before authorizing you to go with us," Balewa told Will. "So, I'll just leave you two alone."

Balewa and Ramirez walked out of the room.

Will didn't know what to do or how to act. He didn't expect this at all.

"They told me you're helping them investigate," Natalie said after a few moments of silence. "That you could help."

"Um," Will didn't know what to say, "I hope so."

"I told the police already but my husband, my Mark, he wouldn't go to that club," Natalie said, tears falling down her face. "Not that he was awful but he didn't support the gays or anything."

Will frowned at the phrase, trying not to feel offended.

"The only thing I can think of," Natalie said oblivious to Will's annoyance, "Was, well, we were in a lot of debt. Credit cards, student loans, you know. We both have been picking up extra shifts and odd jobs. I thought maybe he might have gotten a job there. Or, um," Natalie looked down, "He was talking about asking for a loan. Not from a bank or a company but from a person."

"A person?" Wil questioned.

"I don't know who," Natalie said with a shrug. "I don't know if he did it but I know he was thinking about it."

"Who gives out loans?" Will wondered.

"I don't know," Natalie's tears fell faster as her breathing picked up. "But it's the only thing I can think of. Mark," her voice broke, "He was a good guy. A good friend, excellent husband. No one would hurt him."

"Did he ever read a magazine called _Sonix_?" Will asked, getting a bad feeling.

" _Sonix_?" Natalie's eyebrows furrowed. "No, never. He said it was just a gossipy rag."

Will made a face before nodding. "Right."

"Do you think you can help?" Natalie asked Will. "I just, I want to know what happened to my husband. I can't," she shook her head. "All I can think about is getting him justice. Putting the monster that hurt him behind bars. I can't rest until that happens."

"I'm gonna try my best," Will gave her a weak smile. "I am sorry for your loss, though."

"Thank you," Natalie said, wiping at her face again. "Thank you."

Will tried not to stare at the woman weep. For some reason, she reminded him of someone. He'd seen plenty of grieving spouses over the years. His mother the most recent. But Sami wasn't like this. Sami was never docile even in grief. She radiated a type of energy at all times.

Eyeing the small brunette, it came to Will. The slump to her shoulders, the haunted look in her eyes. The way she seemed to carry herself as if she held the weight of the world on her shoulders. Natalie, the widow, reminded him of his cousin, Abigail.

Balewa knocked on the door before walking back inside. "Natalie, if you want I can have an officer take you home."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm fine," Natalie stood up. "I just hope I've been of some help."

"You have," Balewa glanced at Will. "I think you helped more than you realized."

Will watched as Balewa assisted the woman out of his office. When he was back in his desk chair, Will told Balewa, "You knew she'd get to me."

"I did," Balewa nodded. "I just wanted you to see how important this is. To see the type of relief you could bring to the families of the victims."

"I know," Will told him. "Trust me."

Balewa gave Will a meaningful look. "I'm sure you do. I heard you were familiar with Salem's latest murderer."

"You could say that, yeah," Will said. "I was going to be Ben's best man at his wedding to my cousin."

"Oh?" Balewa tried not to chuckle at the irony.

"So, trust me when I say I know how solving this would bring the families peace," Will said. "What do you want me to do?"

* * *

Will turned his back to Detective Balewa and held out his arms.

"It has a camera button," Officer Washington told Will as Balewa helped Will into a long-sleeve shirt. He was mindful of the wire they taped to Will's chest. "See, right here."

Will glanced down; surprised the camera was so small. He would never have noticed it if no one told him it was there.

"I still don't understand why you couldn't go to a gay club," Will muttered under his breath. "I mean, it's not like you have to be gay to go to one."

"Here," Officer Ramirez ignored Will's comment and handed him a tiny ear piece. He helped place it in Will's ear. "No one will notice it, especially in the dark. You'll hear us and we'll hear you."

"What do you say if you're in trouble again?" Balewa ensured the shirt fit Will without giving away anything hidden.

"I wish it was a full moon," Will said before repeating the phrase. It was easy to remember but not something Will would use in a normal conversation at a club. "I wish it was a full moon."

"If you suspect something or feel uncomfortable, use it," Balewa stressed. "Ramirez and Washington will extract you."

"Don't worry," Ramirez gave him an encouraging smile. "We don't expect anything to go wrong. Just go in, see what you can see, and get out."

"Alright," Will nodded. "And what if something happens and I can't say anything?"

"We're listening too," Ramirez tapped his own ear. He pointed to the tiny camera on Will's shirt. "And watching."

"And what if someone's watching me and they knew I drove to the police station first?" Will couldn't stop from voicing every fear inside his head.

"You're dropping something off for your grandfather before going over to check the club," Balewa said trying to ease Will's nerves. "Not that anyone is going to ask."

"Why wouldn't someone ask?" Will wondered.

The three officers shared a glance before Ramirez said, "It's not that kind of club."

For some reason, that didn't reassure Will.

"Is there anything you need before we leave?" Balewa asked Will. "Anything at all?"

"Um, can I get a moment alone?" Will requested. "I need to call someone."

As the three men left the room, Will pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. Getting Sonny's voicemail, Will started to talk. "Um, hi, it's me. Again. I just thought I'd tell you I'm doing a favor for the Fairfield PD tonight. They don't think it'll be dangerous but I'm kind of nervous. It's at a club, a gay club. Just thought I'd let you know. I wish you'd call me back. Please?"

* * *

Will followed the directions Officer Ramirez gave him. The police weren't kidding when they said the club was on the outskirts of town. Pulling into a parking lot much fuller than he anticipated, Will got out of his father's car.

The exterior of the building didn't look like anything special. Just two stories of a plain gray block building. Beside the entrance were two tall topiary bushes and a sad looking red carpet. The only indication it was a gay club was a small sticker of a rainbow flag in the window.

Shivering in the cold, Will pretended to scratch his ear and in the process turned on his earpiece. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," the deep voice of Detective Balewa said. "Ready when you are."

The police parked down the street; ready to assist Will if he needed it.

"Right," Will nodded. He felt a familiar tingle of fear mixed with a thrill of excitement. The same type of rush he always felt when EJ would send him on some nefarious job when he was an intern. That feeling Will claimed to hate but secretly loved.

As Will pulled open the door to the club, he unzipped his jacket making sure the button camera was in full view. Two steps inside and Will realized why none of the officers would have felt comfortable in the place.

Will, a choking sound erupting from the back of his throat, heard several snickers in his ear.

There was a long bar along one wall of the place and a small dance floor with a few men grinding against one another. The lights were low and several tables dotted around the place all focused on a stage set in the middle of the club. The stage that featured several poles and three men in g strings gyrating against them.

"ID?" a bouncer asked Will. He shined his flashlight in Will's face when Will fumbled at pulling it out.

"Here," Will handed it to the man. Squinting in the dark, Will wondered why the bouncer seemed familiar.

The man swiped Will's license and stamped his hand. He stared at Will for a long moment, leaving Will unsettled. "You 21, kid?"

"I'm 22," Will replied, giving the man another glance as he handed him the cover charge.

Once away from the bouncer, Will hissed under his breath, "You couldn't have told me it was a strip club?"

"Sorry," Balewa said through a chuckle. "We didn't know if you'd agree to help us or not if we told you."

Not sure where to stand or where to look, Will hovered near the fringes of the floor. He kept flashing surreptitious glances at the stage before turning away again.

"Walk around," Washington said through Will's earpiece. "We need to get a good look at everyone in there."

Will followed the directions. He walked around the circumference of the club making sure his camera got everything. As he observed, Will realized the club wasn't as skeevy as he thought a strip club to be. Everything seemed clean, new, and expensive. The dancers themselves were nice looking and well-muscled. The clientele believed so if the number of bills on the stage said anything.

Will wondered what three straight men were doing here before they died.

 _Maybe they were bouncers or bartenders or dancers. I should ask around and find out._

Deciding he could at least ask a few questions, Will headed back for the bar when a hand caught his shoulder.

Jumping, Will wheeled around and came face to face with a middle-aged man in an expensive suit.

"Getting a feel for the place, huh?" the man asked as he used his hand on Will's shoulder to steer him away from the stage and the hub of the crowd. He pulled open a door that said EMPLOYEES ONLY and guided Will through.

"Uh, yes," Will said elongating the word. He heard three sets of voices urging him not to panic which only made him all the more nervous.

"That's Keith Frick," Balewa's steady voice explained to Will. "He owns the club."

"Here we go," the man, Keith Frick, opened another door and gestured Will inside. "Take a seat."

Will sat down in front of a large wooden desk not sure at all as to what to do.

"As you can see, for a Tuesday night, it wasn't too bad out there," Frick used his thumb to point in the direction of the club. "Now, I can't offer you any weekend shifts yet but if you prove popular with the clients, I can rearrange the schedule."

"Uh," Will blinked rather stupidly at the man. His mind seemed empty of all thoughts.

"You'll start on the floor, of course," Frick yammered on unaware Will was not following. "All the waiters have their own gimmick, see? As for you," he looked Will up and down with a keen eye. "Yes, rather bright-eyed and innocent, I'd say. They'll either love you or hate you."

Will still said nothing which seemed to suit the man just fine.

"I've got something here in the back," Frick pushed away from his desk and went to a small closet door. "Yes, where is it?" He rummaged through a few costumes before pulling out a plastic garment bag and presented it to Will.

"Uh," Will took the bag with the distinct urge to throw it on the floor and run out the door.

"Yes," Frick opened it up and pulled out the three pieces. "Yep," he held one piece up to Will's face, "That'll get you some tips. I'd think within a week or two, maybe less, you'll be up on that stage in no time."

"Uh," Will squeaked out. Balewa's voice hissed in his ear but Will couldn't make it out.

"Well," Frick gave Will a strange look. "Go get changed. You can leave your things in my office for tonight. I don't have enough time to get you a locker. Your audition starts now."

Will grabbed the few things the man gave him and scurried out of the room.

"Get out," Balewa shouted in Will's ear making him jump. "Now, Horton!"

Now that Will was out of the office, he felt like he could breathe. He knew Balewa was right. Will should leave and never come back. He did what they asked. He looked around, checked out the club. There wasn't any reason to stay.

 _Unless I can figure out what happened the night of the murders,_ Will thought. _Isn't that what I'm here for?_

 _The only way the police will get any information is if I do this. I could help. I could._

With the thrill of doing something dangerous leaking through his veins, Will shook his head. "No, no I'm staying. I can do this."

Seeing a room marked bathroom, Will opened the door and locked it. All he had to do now was figure out where the hell he was going to hide the wires in his new costume.

* * *

As Will stepped out of the bathroom, tugging at his costume, he wasn't sure about this after all.

 _Okay, Will, you can do this. You can do this. You just want to find out if those guys were here that night. If they were, good. If they weren't, you tried._

Will stepped in front of the door Frick dragged him through, the employee entrance to the club.

 _Okay, you can do this. You can do this._

Will pushed open the door and squeezed through. His outfit was ostentatious and took up a lot of room. Will was going to need to adjust. He was just glad the lights were dark enough no one would see the scar from his gunshot wound.

He walked up to the bartender and explained his situation as a new potential waiter. He took a tray and was on his way.

Seeing a table in front of him, Will pulled his shoulders back and reminded himself he could do this. He could.

"Hi," Will said with what he hoped was a confident smile over the loud music. "Can I get you anything?"

Will froze when he felt three gazes on him, slipping and sliding up and down his torso. Will's smile became a bit more fixed as he wished there was more substance to his outfit.

Will's costume featured three parts. A white mask that covered his forehead, eyes, and down to his nose. A pair of white shorts that left little to the imagination and a pair of large, ridiculous white angel wings.

"Well," one of the men reached out to finger one of Will's feathers. "Are you on the menu?"

Will cocked his head. Under normal circumstances, Will would scoff and give the man a piece of his mind. Remembering why he was doing this, Will batted his lashes and lifted one bare shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Three beers," another voice at the table requested. Will set his jaw when the man shoved his money into the edge of Will's shorts.

The same happened at almost all the tables Will waited on. Someone would give him some cheap line. Will would pretend he was flattered, biting his lip and fluttering his eyelashes. Will felt gratified that all the other waiters seemed to deal with the same treatment. Although Will still felt at a disadvantage since he wasn't used to the treatment.

"So," Will said as he took a quick break, taking a long pull from a bottle of water behind the bar. "Anything exciting ever happen around here?" Will questioned one of the bartenders.

"You'd think so but nah," the young man shrugged. "There are always guys that forget the look, don't touch rule. Or couples that think the dance floor is the place to try to get off but other than that," the man shrugged again.

"Huh," Will nodded, taking another drink. "I was hoping for sex, drugs, and rock and roll, I guess."

"Not much happening here," the man said. "Name's Hector, by the way."

"I'm Will," Will stuck out his hand to shake. "So, nothing dangerous or exciting? I'm a bit disappointed."

Hector laughed at Will with a shake of his head. "I said not much, not that it never happens."

"Oh?" Will moved closer making sure the police could hear everything.

"Yeah, not that we know much but upstairs," Hector's eyes raised to the second level of the club. "All sorts of rumors."

Will hadn't given the second level much thought. He assumed it was for private dances or maybe parties.

"What kind of rumors?" Will pressed, wondering if he could sneak up there somehow. He turned a bit and his stupid angel wings knocked into a few bottles behind him. "Sorry, dumb things."

"S'alright," Hector told Will, eyeing the wings. "You're gonna have a lot of fun with those things."

"You said something about rumors?" Will goaded.

"Yeah," Hector pointed over Will's shoulder. "Most have to do with them."

Will looked in the direction Hector pointed. A group of men walked into the club and headed straight up the staircase to the second level. Will wouldn't have found it that interesting or that noteworthy except for the last two men. One looked large, intimidating, and familiar. He bent his head toward the bouncer at the front of the door and spoke a few words. Seeing the two together, Will realized where he knew them. Will saw both men before his last meeting at the movie studio. They were the men Will saw coming out of the studio executive's office.

The other man that caught Will's attention was thin and slight with black hair in an uppercut style. Will couldn't see them from here but he knew tattoos covered most of the man's dark brown skin. Not that he'd seen most of the man's body. Contrary to what most people believed, Will didn't sleep with his writing partner from California and that's exactly who the man walking up the stairs was.

Will's mouth dropped as _he_ walked up the stairs and out of sight, _What the hell?_

* * *

Author's note:

I'm putting my own spin on what happened in California, obviously. Not erasing what happened only clarifying. Also, Will's costume is completely self-indulgent on my part. Who wouldn't want to see him dressed like that? But, bless his little heart, he's already jumping into things without thinking.

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

"Horton? Horton!" a loud voice buzzed in Will's ear through the hidden earpiece.

Will hissed, hand slapping over his ear at the noise.

"You okay?" Hector, the bartender, asked Will with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yeah," Will rubbed against his ear. "Sorry. Um," Will licked his lips. He watched as the two intimidating men he saw in California shook hands and parted ways. One stayed at his post as the bouncer while the other jogged up the stairs after _him_. "Who are those people?"

"Them?" Hector shrugged, wiping down his bar top. "Just some locals."

"Locals?" Will repeated, standing on tiptoe in hopes of seeing further up the staircase. "You know _him_?"

"Him who?" Hector repeated. "Never mind, you better get back out on the floor. Frick's making his rounds. He'll get pissed if you're sitting around instead of flaunting your stuff."

"Right," Will mumbled. He polished off his water bottle and moved back to the customers. Under his breath, he asked, "You know them?"

"Yeah," Balewa's deep voice answered in his ear. "The first four were businessmen." He rattled off a few names that Will tuned out. "The big guy at the end was Elias Monroe."

"Oh," Washington's voice chimed in, "And Amir Paracha was with them. What do you think's happening up there?"

As the policemen began to speculate, Will's heart thundered in his chest. He hadn't heard anyone say Amir's name in almost a year, hadn't seen him in just as long. But, here he was in Fairfield, Illinois of all places. With the two men Will saw at the movie studio the day he got fired. All in the same state, same city, the same club as Will.

 _The club connected to three murders and my writing._

Despite the unease Will felt about Amir's presence, Will couldn't see him caught up in this. Amir, Will thought, was sweet and gentle. Will had never seen him angry or even raise his voice. He doodled on the corner of every paper he came across. He got tongue-tied whenever Will would smile at him. He even helped Will take Ari, Allie, Sydney, and Johnny to the movies once. Will recalled looking over doing _Big Hero 6_ and seeing tear tracks sliding down Amir's face.

 _He's not involved. He can't be. Can he?_

Will swallowed down his racing thoughts and smiled at the table in front of him. He focused on the leering gaze of a man much older than Will's own father.

Will endured the ogling for a while more before getting a break. With several tips sticking out from the top of his shorts, Will edged toward the staircase. He didn't need the trio of voices in his ear telling him to get up there. Even if he wasn't investigating a murder, he'd want to know how and why Amir was in town. And how Hector and the police knew who he was. Will wanted to know everything.

"Going somewhere?" Keith Frick, the owner of the club, questioned Will when he got close to the stairs.

"Uh," Will blinked at the man with an innocent expression. "I was trying to find you. Wanted to see how I was doing."

Will grimaced when the man stroked a hand up and down the wings of his costume.

"Well," Frick smirked, "I have heard nothing but good reviews. But," he directed Will back towards the main center of the club, "I only send my best upstairs."

"Must be some high rollers up there," Will commented. He hoped he didn't sound like he was fishing for information.

"Oh, you have no idea," Frick turned to face Will. He placed both of his hands on Will's face and pinched his cheeks. "Who knows, maybe I'll be spending you upstairs soon."

Will nodded, trying not to cringe.

* * *

A few hours later, Will hung his ridiculous wings in a locker of his own. Those things itched and were heavier than they looked.

"So," one of the dancers said as Will slipped on the macaroni bracelet Ari made him. "What are you here for?"

Will, averting his eyes, spoke into his locker, "Just needed a job."

"Hmm," the guy hummed. "I didn't know Frick was hiring."

"Either did I," a dancer next to him agreed.

"I thought everyone knew that," Will said, trying not to sound too interested.

"Nah," the first dancer said. "Hasn't hired or fired anyone in weeks. No one's quit either."

"Must need extra hands to cover upstairs," one of the waiters chimed in with. "The meetings happen just about every night, now."

"What's the deal with up there anyway?" Will asked.

"Just Frick covering his tracks," the dancer snorted. At Will's confused glance, he rolled his eyes and added, "He invites these big wigs and plots all sorts of weird shit. I don't even know. I just go up there and dance to make all the heteros uncomfortable when Frick's talking."

"Why?" Will wrinkled his nose.

"Beats me," the man shrugged. "Whoever gets sent up gets a few extra hundred dollars. For that much money, I could care less what they're planning."

Will opened his mouth before snapping it shut. He didn't think it wise to open up about the murders just yet. Not until he learned more about the employees and if anyone was involved or not. For all Will knew, one of the dancers or even his new friend Hector could have had a hand in the murders. Considering what happened with Ben Weston, Will didn't want to take any chances.

"I hope I get to go up next," the last of the dancers said. "I'd love to get Paracha's attention."

"Have you seen his new tattoo? The one on his hand?" one of the waiters moaned. "He was not that hot in high school."

"I almost regret all those times I shoved him into a locker," the first dancer said.

"Amir went to school here?" Will couldn't stop himself from blurting out.

"Well, yeah," the waiter answered. "He's always lived here except when he went to college."

"But I thought..." Will pressed his lips together, staring at the title floor below him.

"You know him?" the waiter pressed.

"And why are you calling him Amir? He doesn't let anyone call him that," one of the dancers crossed his arms and frowned.

Will flashed back to a shy smile and bright brown eyes meeting his for the first time. To a warm hand and a soft almost reverent tone telling Will to call him Amir.

"We've met," Will said.

After that, Will rushed to leave. He had almost two hundred dollars in tips and a request to return on Thursday night for his next shift.

* * *

"So," Balewa slid as Will slid into a booth at the local 24-hour diner a few minutes later. "How do you know Paracha?"

"How do you know him?" Will countered. He placed a discrete black duffle bag next to him. The bag contained Will's wires, ear piece, and button camera.

Balewa appraised Will with a sharp eye. "He grew up here in Fairfield. He graduated the same year as my daughter. His mother works in the building across the street from the station. He got back to town six months ago after going away to school."

"It's a little creepy you know that," Will mumbled, trying not to look the detective in the eye.

"His mother's the only Muslim in town," Balewa said. "I make it my business to know what she's doing." Seeing the affronted look on Will's face, he added, "For her protection. We're a small, conservative town and I don't take kindly to people bothering any of our citizens."

"Oh," Will chewed his lower lip.

"Now, how do you know him?" Balewa demanded. "You said you've never been to Fairfield before."

"I haven't," Will insisted. "I've never been here before today!"

"Then you better explain," Balewa said with an expectant look.

"I met him in California," Will said. "We worked together on a movie."

"A movie?" Balewa frowned. "Why would he work on a movie?"

"Because he's a screenwriter?" Will said making his own statement sound like a question. He was starting to believe everything he knew was a lie.

"No," Balewa said in a firm tone. "He's not, Will. Paracha's never written anything in his life. My daughter tutored him in English because he hated writing the essays. He's not a writer."

"But, then why would he be there?" Will asked not expecting an answer.

"He couldn't have been there," Balewa stated. "Paracha hasn't gone to California. He's been in Chicago at school."

"He was there," Will furrowed his brows. "Last fall, we spent almost all our time together for a few weeks."

"No, last fall he was away at school," Balewa argued. "In Chicago."

"No, no he wasn't," Will stated. "I mean, I can prove it."

Will fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket. He sent a quick text to his mother. A couple minutes later, Will brandished the phone in front of Balewa's face. "See?"

Sami sent Will a picture from one of the company parties they attended. A photo of Will leaning against a rail with a drink in his hand and the sunset over Malibu Beach in the background. Standing next to Will, tattooed arms and razor sharp cheekbones on display, was Amir Paracha. Will's writing partner and apparent Fairfield resident.

"This doesn't make any sense," Balewa said, handing the phone back to Will. "Amir's a good kid. Never had any trouble with him, always reading comic books and drawing. How could he get mixed up in this?"

"It might not have to do with him," Will offered. "I mean, you said it yourself, he's a nice guy. He wouldn't do anything like that."

Will believed it too. Despite his resentment toward Amir, Will didn't think him capable of murder. Didn't think he'd associate with anyone like that either.

 _But he lied about being a writer. What else could he have lied about_? Will wondered as he squirmed in his seat. _Unless I wasn't the one he lied to. How well does Balewa know Amir? How well do I?_

"We need to find out what those meetings are about," Balewa pinched the bridge of his nose. "We need to find out something."

"My next shift is Thursday," Will said. _And I need to find out about that stupid movie._

"You're not working there," Balewa shook his head. "I can't ask you to do something like that. How you even agreed to wear that ridiculous outfit, I'll never know."

"You brought me in to help," Will said with a shrug. "Besides, as degrading as it was, I made almost $200. I mean, I'm not saying forever but if it'll figure out who caused all this, I'll help."

"No," Balewa said again. "You're not doing this."

"I don't need your permission," Will leveled back, eyes blazing. "If you aren't going to help me, fine, but I'm still doing this."

"Damn it," Balewa pinched his nose again and let out a low growl. "I knew this was going to go wrong. I knew it."

Will, arms crossed, stared at the man across from him. "Investigative journalist, my friend. And you must not have talked to my grandfather for long." Will slid out from the booth, leaving the bag behind. "He could have told you I don't ever do what I'm told."

As Will left the diner, he felt only a small amount of guilt that he didn't tell Detective Balewa everything. Until Will figured out the truth, no one needed to know who or what he saw the day he got fired.

* * *

The drive from Fairfield to Salem didn't take as long as Will anticipated. He spent the whole ride with the radio off and his mind whirling. Will went over everyone he met that night, wondering if they had been the murderer.

For a time, Will thought he was discerning. Thought he was able to tell what type of person someone was. With the people he grew up around, Will should have recognized someone for what they were. But Will came to realize he was a terrible judge of character.

 _I was planning a bachelor party for a serial killer_. Will shook his head as he changed lanes on the highway.

Will took exception when he found out the truth about Ben. That he befriended someone so disgusting, so cruel. That he encouraged his cousin to consider a future with that monster.

Remembering how the wife of one of the victims looked like Abigail hardened Will's resolve. Will couldn't do anything about the damage Ben inflicted on Salem. But he could prevent someone else from doing the same to Fairfield.

At least that was the reason Will was going to give if anyone asked. No one needed to know the lure behind the amount of tips Will earned. Sure, he could have gone to his mother or perhaps his grandma Kate for money. But Will was a grown man. He couldn't rely on his family to take care of him forever.

Besides that, no one needed to know how much fun Will had that night. That he enjoyed the reconnaissance work. That the thrill brought out a part of Will he kept hidden. That Will might have even appreciated the leering looks he received more than he thought he would.

No one would ever know about Amir either. Will couldn't afford for anyone to know. No one would understand how far outside Will's control this situation was. But Will needed to get to the bottom of it. He needed to know how his writing connected the murders. He needed to know what those men were doing in the executive's office before he got fired. How Amir knew the men. How he became involved in the murders, if he was at all. Why Balewa didn't know about Amir's time in California. Why Amir never mentioned that he grew up an hour away from Will. Why he sent Will that birthday gift.

 _How he even got my address at all._

There was too much Will didn't know. He wasn't going to stop until he got answers.

Will yawned as he put on his turn signal and got off the highway at the Salem exit. The adrenaline from before seeped right out of him. So exhausted, Will didn't notice another car tailing him all the way to Lucas' condo.

* * *

Author's note:

For Amir, I picture Zayn Malik, who I am slightly obsessed with.

Thanks to everyone for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

Will got home rather late or early depending on how one looked at it. He slipped into his and Ari's temporary room at Lucas' condo as quiet as he could. It felt as if his eyes had just closed when his alarm went off. He had to get up and get Ari ready for preschool.

"Wow," Lucas commented as Will dragged himself into the kitchen. He chuckled as Will groped around the cabinets for a mug. "To your left," Lucas helped.

"Thanks," Will mumbled, grabbing the first mug he saw and filling it with coffee. He chugged the whole thing, ignoring the burning in his throat and gums.

"What time did you get back?" Lucas questioned as he helped Ari into her high chair and gave her some Cheerios.

"I don't even know," Will rubbed his face up and down. "Not that long ago."

"You gonna tell me what this is about?" Lucas wondered.

"It's a project," Will explained. "And a favor, I guess. Something's happening in Fairfield and the police asked for my help."

"Police?" Lucas said giving Will a startled look. "Will, I don't like the sound of this."

"It's nothing serious," Will lied. "They've got their suspicions about a local club. I'm helping them figure out if there's anything."

"Are you sure that's it?" Lucas held Will's gaze, searching his son's blue eyes for any sign of deception. Will's eyes always gave him away in the end.

"Of course," Will nodded doing his best to keep his eyes wide and innocent. "They found some of my articles and thought I could help them. Ask Grandpa if you want," Will shrugged. "They talked to him first."

"Okay," Lucas said. "I'll do that. I'm gonna pick out something for Ari to wear. When you get back, you're going back to sleep."

"Yeah, thanks," Will threw back some more coffee. He tried his best to keep his eyes open.

After Ari finished her breakfast, Will carried her into the bedroom. He saw his father sitting on the edge of the bed with something in his hand.

"Did you find something for her?" Will questioned. He grabbed a changing blanket and tossed Ari on the bed next to Lucas causing her to bounce and giggle. After grabbing Ari's diaper bag, Will unsnapped Ari's pajamas and changed her diaper.

"Yeah," Lucas said, "And I found this too."

Will glanced over at his father and saw the money he made the night before in Lucas' hand. "Uh, yeah, I earned that."

"Earned it doing what?" Lucas demanded.

"Waiting tables," Will said with a small smile. "At the club the police sent me to look into. I got a job there. I figured I could do some snooping and make a little money at the same time."

"A little money?" Lucas bounced the giant wad in his hands. "A little money? Will, there's almost $200!"

"Okay, a lot of money," Will amended. "I'm a good waiter."

Lucas stared at Will for a long time.

"It's a gay club," Will shrugged, tickling Ari's sides. "Most of the clientele were drunk. I just had to smile real pretty and stick out my butt."

"Right," Lucas sighed, disapproval lining his face. "And you'd tell me if you were in trouble, right?"

"Of course," Will answered. "You know I would."

"I hope so," Lucas stood up and handed the money over to Will. "You gonna put that in the bank?"

"Not until I figure out what's happening there," Will decided. "After what happened in California, I don't know if I even want a bank account anymore. It's already causing me too much trouble."

"You should go down and talk to the bank in person," Lucas suggested before looking at his watch. "I've got to get to work. Just, be careful, son. You know I worry about you."

"I know," Will nodded. "But I'm fine, honest."

Lucas reached down and kissed Ari's cheek before kissing Will's temple. "Love you both," Lucas yelled over his shoulder. "Get some sleep!"

* * *

As soon as Will got back after dropping Ari off at preschool, he collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. He burrowed into the pillows and dreamed.

 _Will looked into a pair of dark brown eyes and smiled. He opened his mouth to say something when he gasped, arm flinching._

" _Hold still," Amir Paracha's soft voice requested. "You're gonna make me mess it up."_

" _Sorry," Will crinkled his nose. "It tickles, that's all."_

" _Stop moving," Amir adjusted his hold on Will's hand. He dipped his small brush into a mix of henna paint._

 _Will enjoyed watching Amir work. His brows, thick and dark, furrowed as he whirled the brush against the sensitive skin of Will's inner wrist. Amir didn't go off of a design. He freestyled the entire thing. Will envied the talent._

" _I'm surprised you're a writer instead of an artist," Will commented. He swallowed when Amir's eyes caught his. Dark lashes swept against Amir's cheeks when he blinked. "Um, because you're so good."_

 _Will's cheeks reddened, bowing his head. His eyes lingered on the tattoos visible from where Amir rolled up his shirt sleeve._

" _I love drawing," Amir admitted, turning back to Will's wrist. "But I don't know. My father always said it was fine for a hobby but not for a career. Then again he also said I'm turning into a human etch-a-sketch," Amir lifted one of his tattooed arms up. "So…"_

" _Your father?" Will questioned. "I thought your mom raised you."_

" _She did," Amir nodded. "But I still saw my dad. He visited, sent money. He didn't live too far from me. My mom always said I should do what I love but I suppose I've always wanted to impress my father."_

 _Will understood that. He felt the same about his own family at times. He just wanted everyone to be proud of him and his work. He hoped this movie showed everyone how successful he could be._

 _Amir went back to his work on Will's skin while Will eyed a few of his tattoos. "What's that one mean?" Will pointed to a spot on the inner crook of Amir's elbow. It was a series of black swirls in some language Will couldn't interpret._

" _It's a quote. 'Verily, after every difficulty there is relief'," Amir glanced at Will's face. Seeing the lack of comprehension, Amir smiled, "It's from the Quran."_

" _Oh," Will said. "What language is it?"_

" _Urdu," Amir said. "That's my mother's first language and mine, I suppose." Seeing Will's blank look, Amir laughed, "She's from Pakistan."_

" _Oh," Will said again, face flushed. He never realized how ignorant he was to the rest of the world. "Sorry."_

" _S'no problem," Amir lifted one rather bony shoulder. "I've dealt with it most of my life. Unless it changes things for you," Amir paused his painting to look at Will. "Does it?"_

" _Why would it?" Will wondered._

" _You'd be surprised," Amir gave Will a small smile and continued on Will's henna tattoo. "My father's white, if you're curious. My mom came to America for school. She ended up getting pregnant and stayed in the states. Hasn't seen her family since she had me."_

" _Why?" Will asked._

" _She wasn't married," Amir answered. "Her grandfather raised her and he's pretty devout. He let her know she wouldn't be welcome if she went back home."_

" _I'm sorry," Will frowned. "That must have been awful."_

 _Will thought about his own conception and how much worse things could have been for his mother._

" _It was," Amir agreed. "Especially when my dad left but I was always happy."_

" _Good," Will said feeling stupid he didn't have anything else to say about it. "Um, if you have a quote from the Quran on you does that mean you're Muslim? Not that it matters," Will rushed to explain. He didn't want Amir to think he cared about that. "I'm just curious."_

" _Technically," Amir said, "No. My mother is although she hasn't been to a mosque in some time. Me, though, I guess I'm a conglomeration. My mother taught me about her faith and my father taught me about his. I believe bits and pieces here and there from both. What about you?" Amir gave Will a teasing look, "Are you Muslim, Will Horton?"_

" _Uh, no," Will chuckled. "No. I don't even think I've ever met someone who was either. I mean, I've told you how small of a town Salem is. No mosques in sight."_

 _Amir watched Will for a few seconds before nodding. "Yeah. Small towns are like that. What was it like? Living in Salem, I mean."_

" _Well," Will pressed his lips together, a bit taken aback by the question. "Salem is Salem. It's one of those places unless you've lived there you aren't going to understand."_

" _Try me," Amir requested. He lifted his left hand to scratch at a spot behind his ear. "I might surprise you."_

" _Okay," Will licked his lips, unaware Amir's eyes traced the path of his tongue. He opened his mouth to tell Amir when something caught his attention. Another tattoo, this time on the inside of Amir's bicep. "Is that a Harry Potter tattoo?"_

 _Amir, surprised by the turn in the conversation, took a few seconds to nod. "Yeah," he rolled the rest of his sleeve up and showed the whole thing to Will. "You probably think I'm a dork now but I'm pretty obsessed with those books."_

 _Will leaned forward and grinned. "Are you kidding? I love them!"_

 _The question about Salem forgotten as they lost themselves in a long, intense discussion._

 ** _Beep Beep Beep_**

Will flailed on the couch, rolling off onto the floor in a loud heap. "Ow," Will muttered as he rubbed the elbow that broke his fall.

Will righted himself and looked around for the source of the noise. The coffee pot beeped alerting Will that it shut itself off.

"Ugh," Will slumped on the couch, head in his hands. He was still so exhausted but his mind was whirling. He rubbed against his inner wrist. If he closed his eyes he could still picture the dark swirls and feel the tickle of a brush against his skin.

"I can't believe he never told me he was from Fairfield," Will muttered. _All that time we were together, all that time I spent rambling about my life and he never once said anything. Why? Why wouldn't he tell me?_

Will knew then that he was getting too close to Amir. At first, Will felt offended by Amir's presence in his life. Not because of his ethnicity or anything like that but because of what he stood for. Will didn't understand why the movie studio would hire Amir to write Sami Brady's life story. Amir didn't know Will's mother. No one knew Will's mother like he did. He was the only one capable of capturing his mother's true essence, not some stranger.

After he checked his ego and spoke with the studio, Will realized Amir wasn't a reflection on him. The studio only wanted to help Will write the best story that he could. Amir didn't know Sami. So, he could tell if Will was biased or downplaying certain facets of his mother's personality.

Besides, Amir was nice. He was so shy and timid at their first meeting. Will could feel the tremble in Amir's fingers when they shook hands. It took a long time for Amir to open up to Will but when he did things were so effortless. Will could talk and talk and Amir would listen and remember. All the fears Will had about the project, Amir listened. Every time Will would call home and get a voicemail, Amir listened. All the little things Will wanted to tell Sonny, he told Amir because Amir was there. He was there and he listened. He saw Will.

Will didn't realize how dangerous of a position he put himself in until it was almost too late. Amir didn't seem to know anyone in LA just like Will. So, the two stuck together. It helped that Amir was only a few months older than Will too. He didn't mind having to work at Sami's house so Will could babysit or just enjoy time with his daughter. Sami even seemed to like Amir. Or, at least, she never complained about him.

During the last weekend Will and Amir worked together, Will got a call from his mother-in-law. Will and Adrienne always had a contemptuous relationship but this call went too far. All Adrienne did was lay into Will about what an awful husband he was. That he left Sonny behind and refused to talk to him. Adrienne didn't listen when Will reminded her Sonny told him to go. She didn't listen when Will told her he left a voicemail every day that Sonny never returned. Will tried communicating with so many people and no one ever called him back.

After the phone call, Will was upset. He was embarrassed that Amir witnessed the call. Considering how loud Adrienne was yelling, Will was certain Amir must have heard it too. Gracious and conscious of Will's feelings, Amir left for the night. He came back the next morning with a large chocolate muffin for Will. On one of the times Will rambled on to Amir, he recounted a story from his childhood. Whenever Will, Sami, or Lucas had a bad day, they would get a big, gooey chocolate muffin to make them feel better. Knowing Amir remembered the off-hand story Will told him, was eye opening.

Will appreciated the gesture and ignored the fluttering he felt in his chest. The two worked together all weekend, pouring over their notes and ideas. The only breaks they took were for Ari. They were so exhausted, they both fell asleep on the couch. When Will woke the next morning, hand entwined with Amir's, he found he didn't mind as much as he should.

Will insisted it was just a crush, that Amir was just a friend. A sweet, shy, thoughtful friend that listened to everything Will said without judgment. Which was why Will was so crushed when he got called into the office that Monday and fired. Why he ran to the first person he could think of for comfort and support only to overhear Amir talking to a few producers from the film. Will realized all the time Amir spent listening to Will wasn't because he was interested in Will. He only wanted Will's job. And he got it.

Will went back to Salem with his tail between his legs. He knew he couldn't let anyone know that he was more upset over Amir than he was over losing his job. It seemed in Salem, though, Will hadn't learned his lesson at all.

Will had always been a sucker for a brunette with brown eyes and a smile too big for Will's own good.

* * *

"Look," Will said into his phone, forcing himself to sound polite. "I just want to talk to him. Just transfer the call."

"I'm sorry, sir," a high-pitched tone replied sounding too smug for Will's liking. "But, as an important studio executive, Mr. Ford, is busy. So, buh-bye, now."

"Don't you dare hang u-," Will growled when she hung up. "Stupid, stupid, ugh!"

Will had spent the better part of the morning trying to talk to anyone involved in the movie. For some reason, no one would talk to him. He tried producers, directors, hell, even the damn caterer, and nothing. Any time he said his name, they'd give him a flimsy excuse and hang up. It was maddening.

"What the hell is going on?" Will groaned, scrubbing his hands up and down his face. He sent a text to his mother asking if she could get in contact with anyone for him. Maybe it was just Will they were avoiding.

After making himself some more coffee, Will sat on his bed. He shoved a pen in his mouth and laid out several pads of paper before him. He wanted to write down as much as he could about what was happening in Fairfield. All the questions he had, all the information he knew. He liked to have it all out in front of him written out. It made it easier to focus.

Will knew this wasn't his job, per say. It wasn't up to him to solve the case. The fact that he had an exclusive on it, that he did some undercover work might have been enough. But Will couldn't risk it.

If he wanted to make enough off this story to last for a while, it had to be big. Will couldn't just leave it at dressing in some wings and hot pants. There had to be more.

Will failed with the movie. His article on Paul only served to convince the entire world Paul and Sonny were destined for each other. He was too much afraid to tell anyone what he should have about Clyde Weston. He didn't recognize Ben for what he was. Will wouldn't fail this time. He couldn't.

Will knew the key to everything was getting upstairs at the club. The only ones sent up there were the best and Will could learn to be the best.

* * *

Will walked out of the gym, body flushed and aching. He had no idea the strength it took to swing around a pole. If nothing else, the pole dancing class might come in handy if his husband remembered he existed.

Speaking of his husband, Will pulled out his phone. He knew Sonny wouldn't answer. He never answered but he had to keep trying. Despite what Will did, the pain he put Sonny through, Will loved him. If nothing else, Will needed to know for sure if it was over.

"I just left the gym," Will said to Sonny's voicemail, "And I thought about you. I miss you. I love you. I'm getting so deep into my new project and I wish you were here to help me. God," Will sighed with his eyes closed tight. "Maybe it's not about solving a murder. Maybe it's not about people I once knew or getting answers. Maybe I just hope if I get myself into too much trouble you'll save me."

Taking a deep, steady breath, Will let out a slow exhale. "Tomorrow night I'm going to a club in hopes of becoming a stripper. Maybe that'll get your attention."

Will wiped under his eyes. He didn't even realize he was crying. _Get it together. You have to get Ari soon. She can't see you like this. As far as she knows, nothing is wrong._

Deciding to take a walk, Will shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets and ambled through town. Just as he entered the town square, he heard his name called.

"There you are," Marlena huffed as she slowed to a jog in front of Will. "I've been looking for you all over town. You weren't at home. You weren't at your office. You weren't anywhere."

Will didn't want to tell his grandma about getting evicted. It was humiliating admitting he couldn't take care of himself or his daughter. Will also knew if he told Marlena she would tell John who would tell Paul and Will couldn't have that.

"I was at the gym," Will shrugged. "So, did you need me for anything?"

"Of course, I need you," Marlena stepped forward and yanked Will into a bone-crushing hug. She held Will as tight as she could for as long as she could. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"For what?" Will asked, sinking into her firm grip. It had been so long since she'd hugged him like this.

"For your birthday!" Marlena yelled. "I can't believe I forgot. I've never forgotten, not once."

"It's okay," Will shrugged when she let him go. "It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal," Marlena grabbed both of his wrists, forcing him to look at her. "I'm more than just your grandma. I'm your friend and I can't believe I forgot your special day."

"It's just a day," Will reassured her. "It was fine. Mom and Dad called me and the kids. I got a card from Uncle Austin. It was a good day."

"I saw you," Marlena shook her head. "I saw you and Ari and your big dinner and I didn't make the connection. But I don't understand how. I have your birthday saved in my phone. Look," Marlena let go of one of Will's wrists. The other she kept in her grip, afraid he would run away if she let him go.

"I believe you," Will said. "And I told you that it's fine."

"It's not fine," Marlena found her phone in her purse and showed it to Will. "Look, in my calendar I have your birthday. It's right there."

Sure enough, there was Will's birthday. But if it was in her phone, how did she forget?

"I don't understand it," Marlena said. "My phone gives me an alert for these things. It doesn't make sense."

"It's alright," Will smiled. "I get it."

"No, you don't," Marlena gave Will a sad smile. "I haven't been there for you. No one's been there for you and now this. I forget your birthday when you're going through so much."

"I'm fine," Will whispered, flinching away when one of her hands reached out to cup his face.

"You're not," Marlena said. "I know you're not. I've been so focused on my own life and my own problems. I've forgotten all about you. We were so close and I let you drift off on your own. I should have been there to pull you back."

"I don't make it easy," Will said, blinking several times to clear his eyes.

"No," Marlena let out a short laugh. "You don't but that's why I love you so much. You've needed me, Will. You were reaching out to me and I brushed off your problems. I laid them all at your feet while helping Paul."

Will looked away from her and swallowed.

"I should have helped you all along," Marlena insisted. "And I will from now on. I've always been your biggest defender and you've always been mine. I won't jeopardize that for anything anymore. Alright?"

Will nodded, trying his best not to cry. He didn't know how much he needed to hear that until now.

"Oh, sweetheart," Marlena frowned before drawing Will into another hug. She rubbed up and down his spine, making soothing noises. "I'm so sorry."

Will's chest heaved as he buried his face in her hair.

"It's okay," Marlena closed her own eyes, face pinched together in pain. "I'm sorry. I love you. It's okay."

Will didn't know how long he stood there clinging to his grandmother but she never complained. Just held him and promised him he wouldn't be alone anymore.

"I missed you," Will confessed in a small voice that made Marlena choke out a cry.

* * *

Will and Marlena sat on a park bench sipping cups of hot chocolate as Ari ran around the playground.

"She's so big," Marlena admired. "So big and beautiful."

"Yeah," Will smiled, waving when Ari spotted him. "She's the best thing in my life."

"Well, you're both smitten with each other," Marlena noted. "She dotes on you."

"It's mutual," Will responded, taking a sip of his drink.

"Are we going to talk about Sonny?" Marlena asked. That was the one subject she avoided all day.

"What's to talk about?" Will said. "He won't talk to me. He went to the other side of the world and I was the last to know. I understand that he's mad and hurt. I do. But I think some forms of punishment are crueler than others."

"You think he's punishing you?" Marlena frowned.

"Yes," Will nodded. "To get back at me for hurting him, for hurting his precious Paul, for being a giant slut."

"Don't say that," Marlena scolded.

"Why?" Will turned to look at her. "You didn't have a problem with the label months ago. I talked to you and you dismissed me. Told me everything was my fault. I called myself a slut and you smiled at me."

"I-I don't," Marlena became flustered, "I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. Because you're not, that word. You aren't. It shouldn't matter how many people you sleep with or if you cheated on your husband twice because-,"

"Once," Will cut her off. "I only cheated on him once. By Sonny's definition of cheating, that is."

"I-what?" Marlena shook her head. "But I heard that when you were in Calif-,"

"From who?" Will glared at her. "Paul? From when Sonny blabbed about how awful I am?"

Marlena pressed her lips together and said nothing.

"Because if anyone bothered to let me explain," Will worked himself into a frenzy. "They might know that I never slept with anyone in California. He was my friend and I liked him. He listened to me, encouraged me when everyone in Salem couldn't be bothered. And it was all for nothing because the whole time he just wanted my job."

"Then how did Sonny think that you slept with him?" Marlena asked.

"I told him it only happened once and I meant Paul," Will explained. "It only happened once with Paul. Sonny thought I meant once in California but as he never listens to me he wouldn't let me explain. And maybe if someone did listen they would know why I freaked out so much about Sonny and Paul being friends. Because I know how it feels to have someone look at you like you're everything and let you complain and understand you. I knew what that felt like with Amir and I could see the same thing happening with Sonny and no one even cared."

Marlena let Will catch his breath before saying, "Amir?"

"Amir Paracha," Will said. "My writing partner in LA."

For a brief moment, Will considered telling Marlena everything. About the gift and the policemen and his writing and the club and what he had to do. But when he looked at his grandma, he couldn't. She would talk him out of it and Will couldn't have that. He had to get to the bottom of this. He had to.

"You never slept with him?" Marlena asked.

"No, I never kissed him either," Will sighed. "We were close and there might have been feelings but that stopped. That's why I freaked out about Sonny and Paul. I knew the same thing was happening. Except they had a history and I was just in the way. That's what you told Paul, isn't it? That I was between him and the love of his life?"

Marlena said nothing. Her advice to Paul seemed so garish now. She didn't know how she could tell Paul that his relationship with Sonny was like her and John's. It was such a betrayal to Will.

"I'm sure me sleeping with Paul hurt Sonny," Will said, "But I think if he knew how I felt about Amir, that would have hurt him even more. Maybe then he would have understood what he and Paul were doing to me."

"Some punishments are worse than others, huh?" Marlena said with a sigh.

* * *

Author's note:

A little more info on Amir and his relationship with Will this chapter. Is anyone glad Will and Marlena worked things out? I know I am.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Will ran a soothing hand down Ari's hair as her breathing evened out. He wouldn't go to Fairfield until he was sure she was asleep. He wasn't going to miss their bedtime routine for a job. Those moments before Ari fell asleep were some of her sweetest. When she was so drowsy and cute, fumbling her words and clinging to Will so tight. No, Will wouldn't miss that for anything.

"You sure about this?" Lucas asked as Will walked out of the room he shared with Ari.

"Yes, Dad," Will refrained from rolling his eyes. "I know what I'm doing."

"Are you sure about that?" Lucas crossed his arms. "You know I love you more than anything but you aren't the most level headed."

"I am positive I know what I'm doing," Will insisted. "Now, I have to get going. I've got an appointment at the bank there."

"The bank?" Lucas frowned. "Why?"

"I'm already going to Fairfield," Will shrugged as he grabbed a bag he packed earlier. "And I need to go to the bank and get everything situated anyway. Two birds, one stone."

"Alright, just be careful, please," Lucas stressed. "And send me a message when you get there and when you leave."

"Yes, Dad," Will gave in and rolled his eyes.

"And don't roll your eyes at me," Lucas yelled as Will walked out the door.

In the parking garage, Will unlocked the trunk and tossed his bag inside. As he readied himself to go, he never noticed the car following him.

* * *

Will walked into the bank a few minutes before it was due to close. Lucky for him, he called ahead and made an appointment. Plus, it was across the street from the police station. That was the good thing about small towns. Nothing was ever too far away.

"Hi," Will walked up to a counter, "I made an appointment. My name is Will Horton."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Horton," an older man said, "Right this way."

Will followed the man down a long hallway to a series of office doors. He knocked on the one at the end and waited for a command.

"Enter," Will heard through the muffled door.

The man ushered Will inside and said, "Mr. Horton, this is Amal Paracha, our branch manager."

Will's eyebrows shot to the top of his forehead. He swallowed as he stuck out his hand.

"Hello, Mr. Horton," Amal said with an accent Will had never heard before as she stood up and shook his hand. "How can I help you?"

Will sat in a chair she indicated and tried not to stare. She looked so similar to her son although her skin was darker. Amal and Amir had the same dark hair and brows. The same shape to their eyes and even the same sharp cheekbones.

Seeing the loose pajama-like pants and long, bright tunic she wore, Will felt a rush of respect towards her. He couldn't imagine being the only person of her religion in a small town. He assumed she must have dealt with a lot of prejudice and yet she still wore her heritage with distinction.

 _And she's the manager of a bank,_ Will thought. _She has a better job than most people in this town. Good for her._

"Um, hi," Will said when he noticed her staring at him with a bemused expression on her face. "I've been having a lot of issues with my bank account."

"What kind of issues?" Amal asked.

"Well, lots," Will said. "Money keeps disappearing or checks get sent to different accounts. I mean, a week ago there was a lot of money and somehow it's all gone. As far as I can tell, no one took it out. So, where did it go?"

"I see," Amal turned to her computer screen and typed. "Yes, there does seem to be some irregularities here. I'll do my best to get everything resolved."

"Do you think there's some kind of fraud on the account?" Will leaned forward in his seat to look at the screen. "Should I get a new card or something?"

"I'm not sure," Amal answered. "It looks like someone's tampering with it. Now, hmm," she narrowed her eyes. "Yes, yes there is something here. It looks like someone in France emptied your account. You wouldn't happen to know anyone there, would you?"

"France?" Will whispered, slumping in his chair. "Yeah, I know someone there."

"Who?" Amal asked in a curious tone, glancing at Will out of the corner of her eye.

"My husband," Will said, lips trembling.

 _Did Sonny take all our money? He knew I depended on that and he took it anyway? What does that mean?_

Will could only come to one conclusion and he didn't realize until this exact moment how much it would hurt.

"Ah, I see," Amal turned back to her screen.

Will could have sworn he saw a smirk racing across her features. When he blinked, the expression was gone.

* * *

Will walked out of the bank a half hour later. Amal couldn't put any of the money back since Sonny authorized it all. But she did open a new account just for Will. She even pulled a few strings and put in a few dollars into it for him.

It was the best Will could hope for now that he knew the truth. Sonny took all their money, again. It was like before when he wasted it all on his stupid club. A club he abandoned at the first chance he got. Now, Sonny did the same thing. Only, this time, it left Will and Ari without a roof over their head. Will assumed that was answer enough from Sonny.

 _He doesn't love me anymore. He doesn't want to be with me._ Will blinked away tears. _At least now I know._

With a newfound determination, Will waltzed into the police station. He wiped his face and headed for Detective Balewa's office.

"Will," Balewa nodded when he came inside. "I've got a new collection of things for you tonight."

Will saw much smaller surveillance items spread out across his desk. It made sense since Will didn't wear much while in the club.

"Have you talked to anyone seen at the club?" Will asked him as he sat down. He did all he could to keep his mind off of Sonny and his ruined marriage.

"A few, yes," Balewa nodded. "But we haven't gotten too far. The dancers all have alibis. They were, well, dancing at the time of the crashes. The bartenders were working as well. They might still know quite a bit but they aren't saying anything more than what they told you."

Will nodded, relieved he wasn't working with a murderer.

"The customers we talked to are clear," Balewa added. "Nothing suspicious from them."

"And the business owners?" Will questioned.

"Well, they insist that the meetings are just for, what was the word they said? Ah, yes, recreation," Balewa shook his head.

"I doubt they'd tell you anything unless they had to," Will said. "I mean, if we can find out what the meetings are about, maybe we could play them off of each other. See if any of them will turn someone else in to get off."

"That's what I was thinking as well," Balewa nodded in approval.

"Have you talked to Amir?" Will wondered. He hoped he didn't sound too curious.

"No," Balewa said. "He went to visit his father. I believe he lives in Peoria. Or, at least, that's what Amal told me when I asked."

"I just met her, at the bank," Will revealed. "She's nice, in a scary kind of way."

"Yes, nice but stern," Balewa chuckled. "Protective of her son too. I don't blame her, either."

"I still don't think Amir had anything to do with this," Will told Balewa. "He couldn't. He's shy and sweet. He's not a murderer."

"I don't think so either," Balewa agreed. "But I can't let my personal feelings get in the way of an investigation. Paracha's the only one in those upstairs meetings that doesn't fit. He's not a businessman. He's not rich. So, why is he there?"

"Does he work for one of them?" Will wondered. "What did he go to school for?"

"Something to do with IT work," Balewa frowned in concentration. "I don't remember what. He was always good with computers, though. Hell, he's the one that taught me how to use my first IPhone."

"Huh," Will said. "Maybe that has to do with it. Maybe they're forcing Amir to do some kind of tech work for them."

"Maybe," Balewa nodded. "But we won't know until we find out what's going on up there."

"Right," Will said as he sat up straighter in his seat. "I have an idea about that."

"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Balewa asked with a dry look.

"No, I'm sure you'll hate it," Will smiled. "But I think I can do it."

As Will explained his plan, Balewa's frown became more pronounced.

"I know I'm not your father, Will," Balewa said, "But for his sake, please think this through."

"I have," Will insisted. "If it helps catch a killer, it's worth it."

"It's a damn good thing you aren't my son," Balewa shook his head, "Or I'd lock you in your bedroom and throw away the key."

"It's amazing how often I've heard that," Will smiled trying to look as sweet and innocent as possible.

* * *

Will spent his first few hours in the club working the room. He made sure to stand close to the patrons, ensuring his wings brushed against them. He smiled and giggled, doing everything he could think of to win favor with the patrons.

Will thought the few improvements he made to his costume helped with that. Will borrowed a bottle of Hello Kitty body glitter someone gave Ari. He rubbed it all over his skin giving him a light glow. Even sprinkling his wings with silver glitter he and Ari used for crafts. He took a tube of lipstick, blush, and eyeliner he found in his father's bathroom. He was pretty sure they belonged to Adrienne but Will disregarded that. The light flush to his cheeks, subtle pink of his lips, and outlining of his eyes made him look angelic.

So, far it seemed to work. He already made more money in tips in a few hours than he did all night on Tuesday. It helped that one table featured a group of college-age females that giggled when Will came near.

Will dealt with the envious glares from his fellow waiters. He didn't care about making friends. Will needed to get upstairs and he was going to do everything he had to to get there.

While on a break, Will sat in the locker room as the dancers got ready. Like Will, they all had a themed costume on. One dressed as a fireman, one as a police officer, and one as a soldier.

Frick waltzed into the room with a cigar in his hand. He nodded at Will, clapping him on the back. "Good work out there, beautiful. Yes, hiring you was a stroke of genius."

Will tried to look demure as he said a quiet, "Thank you."

Will listened as Frick gave all the dancers a stern pep talk. Encouraging them to do what they needed to or else they'd be back working the floor.

As Frick was talking, Will used his foot to push a black bag near the fireman stripper. The man took it out of his locker and forgot to pick it up. Will knew an opportunity when he saw one.

After Frick finished, the dancers turned to follow him to the stage. Mr. Fireman took two steps before tripping over the bag and landing in a heap on the floor.

"Oh, no!" Will made a show of helping him up. "Are you alright? Wow, you just tripped right over that bag of yours."

The dancer grimaced in pain. He wasn't injured but he would have a nasty bruise on his knee for a few weeks. "Fuck," he hissed.

"What is this?" Frick turned around with a glare. "Why are you on the floor?"

"Tripped," fireman said as he clutched his knee. "I don't think I can go on right now."

"What?" Frick paced back and forth. "Where the hell am I going to get a replacement?"

Will stood up from where he was kneeling next to the fireman. He made of show of stretching, wings unfurling behind him. The light in the locker room accentuated his glitter and pink lips.

Frick stared at him for a minute for snatching Will's upper arm. "Alright, kid, get on that stage and wow me." He punctuated his sentence with a light tap to Will's bottom.

Will followed the policeman and the soldier out towards the stage. At the last minute, Frick rearranged them so Will was in the front, meaning he would get the pole at the edge of the stage. As the spotlight lit up the stage and the music changed into a seductive beat, Will took a deep breath.

 _Okay, you can do this. It's fine. It's fine. Just pretend the crowd isn't there. Just ignore them. It's just like the class I took. Just pretend I'm alone and let go._

Before Will knew it, he felt the cold chrome-pole against his fingertips. Ignoring the other dancers with intricate routines, Will rocked his hips to the beat. He fought the urge to look at the crowd, certain he felt more than one heated gaze upon him.

Needing some time to work up to anything fancy, Will looked down at the floor. Deciding to use his ensemble to his advantage, Will stretched out his arms. The angel wings glimmered under the stage lights as did Will's skin. Sticking out his butt, pole in his hands, Will dropped down into a squat. He twisted his hips on the way up before dropping down again.

Next time he pulled himself up, Will took a few deep breaths. Tentative, Will wrapped his arm around the pole and rocked his hips against it. He curved one leg on the pole and arched his back, twirling.

The more Will worked, the easier it became. He rubbed his wings and ass up and down the pole, gyrating this way and that. Feeling brave, Will jumped and caught the pole, twisting around. Holding himself up, Will wrapped his legs around the pole and slid, ending with a flourish.

Arms aching, heart beating out of his chest, Will held on tight and spun around and around until the music stopped. Coming back to himself, Will heard enthusiastic applause. Watching his fellow dancers picking up their tips, Will did the same. He was amazed he earned so much when he didn't technically strip anything off.

As he walked off the stage, desperate for a drink of water and time to catch his breath, Frick grabbed him by the arm again.

"Time to go upstairs, beautiful," Frick said, waiting for Will to shove his money in his locker. "You've earned it."

Will ignored the glares sent his way as well as Balewa's voice in his ear. He knew how big this was.

* * *

Will walked up the staircase with Frick's hand on his damp lower back. The second floor was more like a loft than anything else. There was one large encompassing space with a round table and several chairs around it. In the middle of the table was a roundabout like Will had seen in Chinese restaurants. Except this roundabout was for him, not food.

Frick helped Will up onto the table as Will swallowed down his nerves. He didn't know what he was to do on the table other than dance. So, Will swayed his hips, glad he didn't get too motion sick when the roundabout began to move on its own.

The slow spin gave Will, and the small camera hidden in his wings, time to look at each man in the room. There were seven in total. Three were the businessmen Will saw a few days before. One was Frick who, even at a round table, seemed to be sitting at the head. Two were the men Will saw in California, Elias Monroe and the club's bouncer, Leon Aker. Last of all was Amir Paracha who seemed to be staring right at Will.

Thankful for the mask, certain Amir couldn't tell who he was, Will concentrated on listening.

"Is everything coming along?" Frick asked one of the men Will didn't know.

"Yes," a middle-aged man nodded. "We've done as you instructed. Soon, I'll have control of everyone."

Frick's lips quirked into a smirk and looked to the next man. "And no one knows your intent?"

"Not as far as we can tell," the man swallowed. "They just think we're investing in the town."

Frick laughed. "Sometimes it's too easy to manipulate these people."

"Down at the barbershop," one man interrupted, "He's been difficult. Doesn't want to sell."

Frick turned to Aker, the bouncer, and gave him a meaningful look. "Take care of it."

"Yes, sir," Aker's deep voice answered.

"And you," Frick glared at Amir who pulled his eyes away from Will at last. "You're being quiet, a little too quiet. Need I remind you what will happen if this doesn't work?"

"I know what'll happen," Amir answered in a light tone.

"Good," Frick narrowed his eyes. "Now, we need to hire some new runners. Since our last ones had such tragic accidents, we need someone who will last. Monroe," he addressed, "Find someone."

The conversations trailed off. Will did his best to keep his emotions under control. But he could hear the policemen's excited chattering in his ear and feel dark eyes staring at him.

After a time, Will stopped spinning and Frick helped him off the table and onto unsteady legs.

"You'll get used to it," Frick encouraged Will. "Now, I need you to do something for me."

"What?" Will looked at the man's face.

"Just a little insurance," Frick's smile turned sharp and cruel. "Come here."

Frick led Will downstairs and into a private room. The room featured a small stage and a small sofa. Realizing the space was for lap dances, Will grit his teeth as he waited.

Contemplating if he heard enough info to sneak out, Will startled when the door opened and Amir stepped inside.

Will stood up straight, cocking his hip to the side, needing to play his part. In a deep voice, Will breathed, "Hi."

"You can stop it," Amir sighed as he sat down on a plush leather sofa. "I know it's you, Will."

"Oh," Will swallowed, shoulders hunching. "How did you know it was me?"

"You only covered half your face," Amir pointed out. "Anyone could figure it out. Besides, I know what your eyes look like."

"Oh," Will said again. He sat down on the opposite side of the couch as Amir, doing his best to cover himself up.

"What are you doing here?" Amir looked at Will. "Especially dressed like that."

"Me?" Will glared. "What about you? Why didn't you tell me you're from Fairfield?"

"Because I couldn't," Amir explained, turning his whole body to face Will. "I wasn't," he looked down for a second. "I wasn't supposed to get to know you at all. That wasn't part of the plan."

"Aha!" Will pointed in his face, trembling, "So you admit you had a plan! I knew it."

"Yes, but you don't understand," Amir shook his head. "You don't get it."

"I get it just fine," Will sat up to his full height, forgetting how undressed he was. "You wanted my job and you got close to me so I would let my guard down. God, I can't believe I ever thought that we were friends. That it was real."

"It was real," Amir insisted, big eyes wide and open. "Will, it was. I promise."

Will glared at Amir. This was the first time Will got a proper look at him in ages. Upstairs, it was too dark to see much but the lighting here revealed everything. Amir looked tired, dark circles lined his eyes. He hadn't shaved in quite a while judging by his beard and mustache. Will frowned when he realized the look suited Amir.

Sitting in a pair of black skinny jeans and leather jacket, Amir Paracha looked the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Will hated him for it.

"I don't believe you," Will said after he finished his appraisal. He knew the police could hear their entire conversation and didn't want to reveal much.

"Will, I promise," Amir shifted closer forcing Will to back up. "I couldn't tell you the truth. They wouldn't let me."

"Who wouldn't let you?" Will asked.

"They sent me to LA," Amir shook his head. "I didn't want to go. I didn't want to do it but I didn't have a choice. And I met you and you were so," Amir looked Will up and down causing Will to cross his arms again. "You and you ruined everything!"

"Me?" Will shouted. "What did I do? You were the one that ruined my job."

"No, I didn't," Amir insisted. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. That wasn't me. I didn't know that was going to happen."

"And I told you that-," Will tried to say.

"It wasn't me," Amir cut Will off and reached out to grab Will's wrists. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'd never hurt you. You were my friend. We were there for each other. Spending time with you and your daughter and your family it was," Amir sighed. "Everything I ever wanted. And that's why they took you away."

"What are you talking about?" Will whispered.

"That-I don't-I can't," Amir bowed his head and slid his hands to link with Will's. "I-I liked you," Amir's cheeks reddened. "And they knew that. That's why, that's why they got you fired. But I promise it wasn't me. I wouldn't hurt you," Amir's thumb swept over Will's wrist where his henna tattoo once was. "I couldn't hurt you."

"They who?" Will asked, resolve waning.

"Frick," Amir admitted with a resigned tone. "And all those guys upstairs."

"Why would Frick care about a movie?" Will wondered. "How would he even know about it? A movie about my mom?"

"I don't know," Amir shook his head, sounding desperate. "I don't. I just, I did what he told me. I didn't have a choice."

"Why not?" Will asked. "Why didn't you have a choice?"

"Because if I don't do what he wants," Amir revealed, "He'll hurt my mom. I can't let that happen."

"He said that?" Will breathed. He tried to picture the confident, proud woman he met earlier that night in any danger. He couldn't imagine it.

"Yes," Amir pressed his lips together. "You don't know what he's capable of."

"I'm starting to get a picture," Will said. "Is he, is Frick the one behind the murders?"

Amir stared at Will and swallowed. "I don't know anything about those."

"Amir," Will yanked his hands away. "Get real."

"I don't," Amir said. "Will, if I did, I'd tell you. Do I suspect him? Of course, I do. Do I have any proof? No."

"Then what about my writing?" Will asked.

"What about it?" Amir looked surprised.

"You don't know?" Will guessed.

"Know what?" Amir questioned. "Will, please."

"An article of mine was found on all three bodies," Will said feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"What?" Amir stood up and started to pace. He ran his hand through his hair and muttered under his breath in a language Will didn't understand.

"What? What is it?" Will stood up as well.

Amir looked at Will. He gave him a long once-over before hardening his face, fists clenching. "You have to leave."

"What?" Will's nose crinkled. "Why?"

"Why are you here?" Amir paced again. "Why are you dressed like that? Here," Amir shrugged off his leather jacket and wrapped it around Will's shoulders.

Will breathed in a lungful of Amir's familiar cologne. Will was much broader than Amir, though, so the jacket was a tight fit.

Will opened his mouth to tell Amir the truth before pausing. Instead, Will said, "I heard about my writing and I came to investigate. I thought it might make a good story."

"Oh my god," Amir glared at Will before ranting in Urdu.

"Hey!" Will complained.

"How can someone so beautiful be that stupid?" Amir asked, ignoring Will's indignant squawk. "Don't you see what's happening? They wanted you to come here!"

"What?" Will frowned.

"They know who you are," Amir grabbed Will's hand again. "They know and you came here and you were on that stage. He took you upstairs. Oh, god, and your articles, your articles."

"Would you explain what the hell you're talking about?" Will demanded.

"They wanted you here," Amir insisted. "Because of me."

"What about you?" Will glared.

"Frick knows what you mean to me and if you're here, I'll do whatever he wants," Amir said. "And now, now you're involved and if I don't do what they want, it's not just my mom they'll hurt."

Will took a few moments to think everything over. Was that true? Did Frick manipulate the situation so Will would end up in the club?

Then Will remembered what happened when he arrived the other day. Frick came up to Will, took him to his office, told him to audition. He didn't ask for Will's name. He didn't ask for anything.

 _The dancers said he wasn't hiring. So, why did he hire me? To dangle me in Amir's face?_

 _Is that why I got on that stage so fast? Why I got sent upstairs? Because Frick needed a new way to control Amir? What the hell does Amir even do for him?_

"What does that mean?" Will said after a few moments. "What I mean to you? We haven't seen each other in almost a year."

Amir's face flushed again. He let go of Will's hand and rubbed against one of his elbows. "I know that."

Will's face softened. "Is that why you sent me the birthday present?"

Amir nodded, averting his eyes.

"Oh," Will swallowed. "I don't, I don't know what to say to that."

"Don't say anything," Amir squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm embarrassed enough as it is. Just, don't come back. Okay? You can't come back."

"I don't know if I can do that," Will whispered.

Amir opened his eyes, blazing fierceness in them. He grabbed Will's face in both his hands and said, "You aren't coming back here, ever."

Before Will could respond, the door opened and Frick popped his head inside. "No touching the merchandise, Paracha."

"My mistake," Amir said as he slunk out leaving Will and his jacket behind.

* * *

Will sat at a table with Detective Balewa at the local diner again. This time Officers Washington and Ramirez joined them.

"You heard everything?" Will said. Amir's jacket draped over his lap.

"Yeah," Balewa nodded. "Why didn't you tell us everything that happened in LA?"

"What was there to tell?" Will shrugged. "We worked on a project and I got fired. I didn't want to say anything until I knew it had to do with this. But, since it is, I should tell you those big guys, Monroe and Aker, I saw them. They were there the day I got fired."

The policemen shared a long look.

"If Paracha's right and Frick wanted you at that club," Ramirez shook his head. "I don't even know what that means for you."

"You can't go back there," Washington said. "It's too dangerous."

"But Frick doesn't know about this," Will gestured between them. "He doesn't know you're helping me. Or that I'm helping you."

"I don't like this," Balewa said. "Something's wrong."

"No kidding," Will frowned.

"Look," Balewa looked at Will. "You have no idea how thankful I am for your help. But I can't have you going back, not if you could be a target. I'll keep you involved and help in any way for your article but this is it."

Will wanted to argue. Wanted to make his point heard. Didn't they understand? These policemen dealt with small town crimes, not blackmail and murder. It didn't matter if Will stayed away, Frick knew about him. If he wanted to, Frick could hurt Will at any time.

Instead of saying anything, Will nodded. "Yeah," Will lied. "I think my Fairfield days are over."

* * *

Will looked toward his passenger seat, unsure what to say. Detective Balewa insisted that Officers Ramirez and Washington escort Will home. Ramirez rode with Will while Washington followed behind them.

Ramirez was only a few years older than Will but the two had never spoken a word beyond the case. Will focused on driving while Ramirez rambled on and on. All Will wanted was to think about everything that happened that night in peace and quiet.

"And that's how I decided police work was the career for me," Ramirez ended with a deep breath. Will didn't know any human being could talk that long without any pauses. "So, I looked in your file. Why aren't you on the force?"

"Excuse me?" Will made a strange face. "What file?"

"You know. We had to do a background check before you could help us out," Ramirez said. "I noticed a lot of your family works for the police. I was just curious why you didn't join. Then again, you live in Salem."

"And what does that mean?" Will, torn between amusement and annoyance, asked.

"Well, the criminals speak for themselves," Ramirez said. "All the serial killers, stalkers, rapists, international terrorists, you know. No offense to your family but everyone thinks the Salem PD is kind of a joke."

"Huh," Will responded. "I can't argue that. Anyway, to answer your question, I guess I'm not cut out for the rules and regulations. Although, as you said, the Salem PD doesn't follow them, so. Who knows? Also, my mom would go crazy. Either convincing me to abuse my power or following me everywhere acting like a bodyguard."

Ramirez laughed. "Yeah, your mom is kind of infamous around these parts."

"Yeah?" Will frowned. "Has she ever done stuff in Fairfield?"

"Not that I know of," Ramirez responded. "Until we looked into your background we thought she was an urban legend, to be honest."

"Uh huh," Will gave a pained smile. He glanced in his review mirror. Besides Officer Washington, there was only one more car on the road.

"You must have had an interesting childhood," Ramirez remarked. Either ignoring or disregarding Will's discomfort. "And an interesting adulthood now, all things considered."

"That's one way of putting it," Will mumbled, wishing the man would shut up already.

"I mean," Ramirez continued, "You said you're kind of a rule breaker. And there aren't too many guys out there that would scheme their way to a strip pole. Plus, you're kind of gorgeous, so that must help in the excitement factor."

Will looked at Ramirez out of the corner of his eye.

"Not that we saw you dancing, mind you," Ramirez rambled. "We just saw the camera-view. But it looked like you were swinging around a lot which I would have liked to see."

Will's nose wrinkled together. He didn't know what was happening.

Seeing the Salem exit, Will sighed in relief. Soon the uncomfortable car ride would be over. Soon enough, Will could go over everything that happened that night. Everything with Amir and the time Will spent upstairs. Meeting Amal Paracha and Sonny's apparent abandonment. Figuring out what to do with the huge wad of cash and the large check from the Fairfield PD.

 _What the hell am I gonna do?_

"So, how about it?" Ramirez turned his whole body to look at Will.

"Huh?" Will tuned Ramirez out a long time ago.

"You know," Ramirez gave Will a wide, charming smile.

"Uh…" Will delayed answering. He must have missed something in the man's chattering.

"Wait," Ramirez turned back around to peer out the window. "This isn't your apartment."

"No," Will pulled into the parking garage at his father's condo. "This is my dad's place. Ari and I are staying with him for a while."

"Why is that?" Ramirez wondered.

"To be honest," Will said, "My husband didn't feel like paying for the apartment anymore so I didn't have a choice."

Ramirez, seeming to remember Will wasn't single, nodded. With a red face, Ramirez said, "I'm sorry."

"About what?" Will questioned as he pulled into a parking spot. "It's not your fault I'm here."

"I spent the whole hour drive hitting on you," Ramirez said.

"That's what you were doing?" Will replied, getting out of the car.

"I must not have been doing it right," Ramirez rubbed against his forehead. "Either way, I'm sorry."

"Okay," Will shrugged. He thought about something for a moment. "You know, I don't even know your first name. That sort of seems like something I should know before going on a date."

"It's Jesus," Ramirez responded. "And now that I'm a little mortified, I'll leave you here."

"I was pretty out of it the whole car ride. There's a lot on my mind," Will said. He didn't want to embarrass the guy. "I wouldn't have even known unless you said something."

"Either way," Ramirez sighed.

"Thanks for taking me home," Will said, ready for this night to be over.

"No problem," Ramirez said. "Uh, should I walk you up or…?"

"Nah," Will waved his hand. "Key code in the elevator. I'm fine."

"Good," Ramirez nodded. His head bobbed up and down for a few moments as Will stood there in awkward silence. When Washington honked the horn behind him, Ramirez jumped. "Oh, right. I better go."

"Right, goodnight," Will said before nodding at Washington through the window. As soon as he got in the elevator, Will closed his eyes.

 _What a weird night._

* * *

Author's note:

What does everyone think? Thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Will was alone the next afternoon. He ran over everything he knew about the club, the murders, and his time in California. He made a timeline of events, hoping he would glean more understanding. As it was, Will didn't understand anything.

Will worked on the movie about Sami's life around one year ago. A few weeks after Will started, Amir arrived. According to Amir, Frick sent him for reasons unknown.

Thinking about it, Will grabbed the pen hanging from his mouth and jotted something down on a pad of paper.

 _-How did Amir get hired by the studio and why?_

Over the next few weeks in California, Will and Amir became friends. They worked together, hung out, and got a little too close. After that, Frick sent his little henchmen to California and got Will fired.

 _-Why was Frick interested in the movie?_ Will wrote down. _-How did he get to the movie executive?_

Will went back to Salem, met Paul, and cheated in an altogether different way. His life imploded around him before getting a visit from the Fairfield police department.

From what Will heard at the meeting last night, the three victims worked for Frick. Runners, he called them. Will knew from the widow he met that she and her late husband were in serious debt. Frick must have preyed on that to get the men to work for him.

 _But what motive did Frick have to kill them? Did he kill them? And why would they die of an overdose only for someone to stage a car accident? None of this adds up._

Something else Will didn't understand was the timing for the movie. His mother told him only a month ago that she got the movie killed. It took almost a year for the movie to end. But Detective Balewa said Amir had been in Fairfield six months. Is that why the studio worked with Will's script the whole time? Because Amir left.

 _Why did he leave? Did Frick tell him to? Or is Amir lying?_

 _Who is this Frick guy anyway? And why is he doing all of this?_

Will looked at his notes on the club and groaned in frustration. Something didn't add up. Why would Frick, a strip club owner from Fairfield, care about a movie on Sami Brady? As far as Will knew, his mom didn't know anyone in Fairfield.

Just to make sure, Will sent his mom a quick text asking her if she knew or had ever been to Fairfield. He hoped she answered. He hadn't heard from her in a few days.

Will sat there for a few moments when he realized something else he didn't understand. He was brought into the investigation because he was gay. Because none of Fairfield's officers were comfortable going into a gay strip club.

 _But Ramirez sure seemed comfortable hitting on me last night._

Will was missing something, something important.

 _Knock Knock_

Welcoming the break, Will pushed off the couch and went to open his father's front door. "Amir," Will blinked, "What are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?"

Will didn't remember telling anyone he moved in with his dad.

Amir, black hood pulled over his head, hovered in the doorway. "I checked at your apartment complex. They said you left and I took a guess. Can I come in?"

Not sure he found that answer satisfactory, Will stepped aside.

"Thanks," Amir closed the door behind him and pushed his hood off. He took off a black backpack and placed it near the door. His usual coiffed hair was a mess on his head.

"Uh, you want anything to drink?" Will offered. He twisted his fingers together. He didn't know if he should be around Amir or not.

"No, thanks," Amir answered. "Look, I just, I didn't get to explain the way I should have last night. I owe you the truth."

"Yes, I'd say you do," Will said after a few moments. He did want to know the truth. "Sit."

"I'm not supposed to tell you this but, well," Amir fiddled with a beaded bracelet around his wrist. "You should know the truth. The whole truth about everything."

Will's fingers itched to grab either a recorder or his pen and paper.

"I've known Keith Frick almost my whole life," Amir said as he sat next to Will. "He's never been that great of a guy, always gave my mom and me a hard time. Because of our skin or her religion, I don't know. But he's always been there."

Will encouraged Amir to continue.

"When I was in high school, I started getting into computers and stuff. My dad bought them for me, I guess as a peace offering for not spending much time with me. He always seemed happy that I was using them so I learned everything I could," Amir said. "If I wasn't drawing, I was on the computer, getting into things I shouldn't. I don't know how Frick found out but he did. Started paying me to do stuff. Install spyware or hack into someone's system. I thought it was kind of fun even if it was wrong, you know?"

Will knew that feeling all too well. He felt it every time he walked into that strip club. Or anytime he ran an errand for EJ when he was interning. It was a high unlike any other.

"He started wanting me to do more," Amir said. "And if I resisted, he'd get angry. Frick would send those guys of his, Aker or Monroe, after me. He even threatened to tell the police what I did. Balewa might have believed me that Frick was behind it but maybe not. I was a teenager still and, at the time, he was a respectable businessman. Who would believe me? I got scared and I did what he wanted.

"I got a scholarship to the University of Chicago. I thought that was it. That it was all over. That he'd find someone else to bully. But he didn't."

Will watched Amir as he talked. He didn't use his hands much. Amir seldom drew attention to himself, always seemed to hold back.

"One day when I was away at school, I got something in the mail," Amir caught Will's eye. "It was a picture of my mom with a bullseye on her face. I knew who it was from. I called him and he sent me to LA. Told me he got me a job. Said all I needed to do was work on a script and that was it. I learned early on not to ask too many questions. It seemed easy enough anyway. Or it did until I met you."

Will shifted; this was the part he was most interested in.

"I meant what I said yesterday," Amir said. "You're so…you, I guess. I met you and you smiled at me and I don't know. That was it for me. I was gone. I mean, I haven't been with that many guys before. I've always been too shy or too awkward. In high school, I tried to stay in the closet as long as possible but it got out. I was already the brown kid. I didn't want to be the gay one too. I kept to my art and my computers and that was that."

Will appreciated that. He knew what it was like to want to stay safe and warm in denial.

"I was terrified to talk to you," Amir said with a sad smile. "I didn't know how I could pretend to know how to write when you made my stomach do all sorts of flips. But you were so nice. You talked to me, confided in me. I didn't even care if you were married. You were interesting and funny and I wanted to know everything about you."

"You were easy to talk to," Will whispered, feeling uneasy.

"I didn't know what Frick wanted, what his endgame was," Amir told Will. "I know I shouldn't have gotten so close to you. You didn't deserve that. I knew how much you were hurting without your husband or your family. But I couldn't help myself. I promise, though, I didn't know you would get fired. I had no idea."

As Will looked into Amir's warm eyes, he found himself nodding. "I believe you."

"Oh," Amir's whole body leaned forward, folding in half. "You have no idea how relieved that makes me."

"What were you doing when I saw you that day?" Will asked. "After I got fired, you were with the producers. Why?"

"Well, they called me," Amir thought back to that day. "They were talking about how great everything was going and I assumed they meant with both of us. I didn't know they got rid of you and when I did you wouldn't talk to me."

"Oh," Will rubbed his lips together. He remembered that. Amir calling and coming to the house only for Will to ignore him. He wouldn't let Amir explain. He was so convinced Amir was behind it all.

 _Maybe I wanted it to be his fault,_ Will thought. _If it was his fault, I could leave and forget how close we had become. I could leave and forget all about him. I did forget all about him. But he didn't forget me._

"About a week after you left," Amir said, "Frick told me to go back to Chicago so I did. I graduated and moved back home. I didn't want to but I didn't have a choice."

The two sat in a strained silence. Amir opened and closed his mouth a few times, starting to say something before pulling back.

"What?" Will wondered.

"Why are you here?" Amir said while looking around the strange apartment.

Will rubbed his temples. He didn't know why he was able to open up to Amir and no one else. Maybe it was because Amir always listened. Or maybe Will was just tired of holding it all together, pretending to be strong when he just wanted someone to know and take his side. "I-uh-my husband decided I didn't need money anymore so, I got evicted. Until I figure things out, Ari and I are staying with my dad."

Amir's expression changed for a brief moment. Something dangerous flashed across his face so fast Will thought he imagined it.

"Where's your husband?" Amir asked. "Why isn't he with you?"

"He left," Will whispered, heaving a deep sigh.

"You?" Amir pressed.

"I don't know," Will said. "I don't know if we're together or not. He took a job offer in Paris."

"Oh," Amir said. Will could have sworn he sounded disappointed. "That doesn't sound that bad."

"He told me he was leaving right before he went to the airport," Will explained in a dull voice. "Told me he had to leave because I drove him crazy and he couldn't be around me anymore. That was the last time I heard from him."

"He didn't talk to you at all?" Amir angled his body closer to Will's. "Just up and left?"

"Yep, pretty much," Will leaned his head against the back of the couch, eyes on the ceiling. "I mean, I get it. I was an awful husband. I cheated on him and all that. Oh, in case you didn't know, I-,"

"I know," Amir said in a gentle tone. "I-um-I've read every article you've written. I know."

"Right," Will chuckled even though nothing about the situation was funny. "I know I hurt him but," Will pressed his lips together. He didn't know if he should tell this to Amir or not. With Amir's bright eyes staring at him, it was easy to give in. "I think the real reason he left isn't because I cheated on him."

"What's the real reason?" Amir wondered.

"Right before that," Will looked at Amir again. "I gave a bunch of tips to this guy, Derrick, that had a big crush on Paul Narita. You know who that is?" Amir nodded. "Right. Well, I gave him all these tips and some notes I took on Paul from the article I wrote. I just thought," Will sighed. "I thought if Paul had someone else to focus on, he would leave Sonny alone. And Derrick liked him and it seemed like Paul liked him too. I just wanted them to get along. I didn't think it was that terrible..."

"But?" Amir encouraged when Will trailed off.

"But Sonny and Paul flipped out like I killed a puppy or something," Will rolled his eyes. "The two aren't as smart as they think, though. The only reason they were mad was because Paul slept with someone that wasn't Sonny. Anyway, that's why I think Sonny left. He can say it was my interfering but I know it was because he was mad Paul, once again, slept with someone that wasn't him."

"He moved to Paris over that?" Amir wondered.

"I think so," Will said. "I don't know. I don't know anything. Nothing I did was ever good enough. It felt like Sonny wanted to drive me crazy. Like he wanted to push me as far as he could so I'd snap. That he'd tell me he wanted to be with me but he'd run right to Paul. He'd say over and over again he was committed to me but he never said he loved me. I think Sonny knew what he was doing and pushed and pushed me because he knew how I'd react. Because he knew I'd go over the top and make things worse. And he could tell everyone how he tried so hard to be with me but I ruined it. That way he could be innocent and I'd look awful.

"I don't know if he even cares at all anymore," Will confessed. Once he started talking to Amir, he just couldn't stop. "He never answers my messages. He never calls me back. I have Ari every day so he hasn't been talking to her either. I guess the biggest clue that it's over is him taking all our money, though."

"You don't have any money?" Amir frowned. "How did that happen?"

"I have some money right now. I made a lot at the club. But, before then, I hadn't been getting any projects at work," Will said. "And something keeps happening with the bank. Or I thought something happened. When, in reality, Sonny just emptied our account and left me and Ari with nothing. Actually, your mom helped me yesterday."

"My mom?" Amir blinked a few times. "When did you meet my mom?"

"Yesterday, at the bank," Will said. "She didn't tell you?"

"No," Amir shook his head. "And she tells me everything. I mean, she knows all about you, how I feel about you. Why wouldn't she…?"

Will turned away from Amir. He didn't know how to act when Amir referenced his feelings for Will. Will didn't understand it. He hadn't seen Amir in ages. It made Will feel a bit guilty. He almost forgot all about Amir and Amir kept him in his mind and heart all this time.

What Amir said caught up to Will.

"Wait," Will paused, "Your mom knows who I am?"

"Well, yeah," Amir said. "I told you. I tell her everything. Well, not everything, she doesn't know about Frick. I've never told her that."

"And she works at a bank," Will murmured. Will remembered Amal Paracha. She didn't look like a woman to be intimidated or threatened by anyone. In fact, it seemed like she would take a man like Keith Frick and eat him alive.

 _Bank, bank, bank, she works at a bank. Bank problems since California. Why?_

A horrible thought drifted into Will's mind and took root. _Amal's involved. And I can't tell Amir._

"Look," Amir said with what looked like a large amount of effort on his part. Will could see how nervous he appeared. "I know that I'm not in a place to give relationship advice. Well, I mean, I've never been in a real relationship before. Just, you know, messing around and stuff and shut up, Amir. Why are you telling him that?" Amir put his tattoo covered hand over his face.

Will couldn't help himself from laughing. Watching Amir squirm in embarrassment, over Will of all people, felt good. And it distracted Will from his thoughts on Amir's mother.

"Hey," Will reached out and grabbed Amir's hand. He turned the hand over to look at the ink. "This must be what the dancers were talking about."

"Huh? What dancers?" Amir asked.

"Well, Mr. I've-Never-Had-A-Relationship," Will let go of Amir's hand. "You are quite popular with my fellow strippers."

Amir hissed something in Urdu that made Will laugh again. "Those men are vile. Half of them made my life miserable in high school."

"Why?" Will wondered. "I'm pretty sure those guys are either gay or pan or something."

"I had other kids bother me about being gay," Amir said. "With the dancers, it was more the fact that I was a skinny, dweeby, brown nerd."

"I'm sorry," Will said. "That must have been awful."

Amir shrugged. "It wasn't fun. School bullies were the least of my problems in school, though."

Will nodded. He glanced at Amir's hand again and noted something. "This looks like the henna tattoo you gave me, just bigger."

"Oh," Amir flushed and stammered. "Well-uh-I mean-well, it is. I just, you know, liked it and I thought," Amir ended with a helpless shrug.

"It looks better on you," Will decided. "The colors work better with your skin tone than mine."

"I could design you one," Amir said in an eager tone. He grabbed Will's hand and pulled his arm. "Like right here," Amir dragged a finger from the inside crook of Will's elbow all the way to his wrist. "All your favorite things. Like Harry Potter and writing and Ari and sports and…" Amir trailed off, snapping his teeth together.

Will, amused, tried not to laugh again at the red tinge showing through Amir's facial hair. "I think I'll stick to henna ones for now. But, you can keep offering. Maybe I'll change my mind."

Realizing Will was appeasing him, Amir asked, "If you ever get one, can I do it? I'm getting good at it. See?"

Amir rolled up his left pant leg and showed off a few artistic-looking tattoos he did himself.

"Sure," Will smiled. "If I ever want a tattoo, you can be my artist."

"I was thinking," Amir said, with the air of someone looking for approval, "That I might open my own tattoo parlor. Maybe, I mean, it's not like I'm using my degree for anything useful. And I do love it. My dad would be mortified but I think my mom would be okay. What do you think?"

Will could tell from Amir's expression he did what to know Will's opinion. "I think that would be awesome. You love drawing and you love tattoos. You should do something you love and that you're good at."

"Thanks," Amir said. "I mean, I haven't decided for sure, but I've been thinking about it for a while."

"You should," Will gave Amir a light punch to the shoulder.

Will looked at the time on the cable box and said, "I have to go get Ari."

"Oh," Amir stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked like he wanted to say something before changing his mind.

"What?" Will asked as he put on his jacket and grabbed his phone and keys.

"I just, um, well, it's dumb," Amir gave Will a bashful smile. He picked up his backpack and shoved it over his shoulders.

"Go on," Will said as they walked out and Will locked the door.

"I just wanted to ask if I could see her," Amir shrugged. "Ari that is. But, um, I get how inappropriate that might be, considering."

"Considering?" Will glanced at him as he walked down the hallway.

"You know, since you're married," Amir said, "And your husband isn't around and no one knows who I am. Wouldn't people talk?"

"You know," Will said as he walked toward an elevator with Amir at his heels. "There's still a lot you don't know about me."

"Like what?" Amir asked as they walked inside.

"People always talk about what I do," Will said as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

"Hey, baby girl," Will leaned down and lifted Ari into the air. He tossed her up and down a few times before covering her in kisses. "I missed you."

"Miss," Ari held onto Will's neck.

"But, I brought you a friend," Will said. He knew he shouldn't have. Amir was right. It wasn't appropriate. People would talk and he'd have a million Kiriakis' descending on him with their hypocritical judgment. But Will was tired of being alone. He was tired of Sonny ignoring him. He just wanted someone around who cared without a familial tie forcing it upon them.

Ari peaked over Will's shoulder and squeaked when she saw Amir.

"Hey," Amir wiggled his fingers in Ari's direction. His eyes got huge when Ari dived for him. "Oh my, you are huge now."

"Hi," Ari blinked at Amir's face, almost nose-to-nose.

"Hi," Amir repeated with a grin.

"I think she remembers you," Will commented as Ari tugged on Amir's facial hair.

The plan was for Amir to say hello and then return to Fairfield. Will would call Detective Balewa. He'd explain about his bank account and his suspicions about Amal Paracha. He'd tell Balewa all that Amir told him about Frick. If Will had time, he'd get Officer Ramirez's phone number. Will thought he might get some info out of him about why he couldn't go to a gay club but could ask out a gay man. But seeing Ari interacting with Amir, Will didn't have the heart to separate them.

Will wasn't the only one suffering without Sonny around.

* * *

At first, Will and Amir chased Ari all over the playground equipment at the park. Ari's giggles and squeals surrounded the area. When she tired, Ari threw herself on the grass and gazed up at the clouds in the sky.

The sky was gray, overcast. No rain had come to Salem but it looked like the surrounding cities were getting hit hard.

"You have too much energy," Will complained as he flopped on the grass next to her.

"Nu-uh," Ari shook her head.

Amir eased down across from Will and Ari. He leaned back on his hands to stare at the sky. "Do you see anything?"

"Cloud," Ari said causing Will to laugh.

"Hmm, I think that one," Will pointed to a wispy gray cloud, "Looks like a pizza!"

The three examined the clouds until Ari sat up with a gasp. "Rainbow!" Ari shouted.

In the distance, a small rainbow arched over the tree tops of the park.

"Wow," Will admired Ari's excitement more than the rainbow. "That's pretty, isn't it?"

Ari nodded her head up and down with her mouth open.

Amir looked from Will to Ari before grabbing his backpack. He unzipped the bag and pulled out a collection of paints. He caught Will's eye and gave a sort of aborted shrug.

It took Will a moment to realize what Amir was hinting. Then Will remembered. During one of the times Amir helped Will babysit in California, Amir painted all the kids' faces. Ari wouldn't let Will wash the paint off for almost three days.

"Hey, baby girl," Will snatched Ari and put her on his lap. "How would you like to look like a rainbow?"

* * *

Amir held one of Ari's cheeks in one hand while his other dragged a brush over her delicate skin.

"Want lots color," Ari said as she scrunched up her nose as the paint brush glided over it.

"I know," Amir smiled. He dipped his brush into a purple shade and continued his work.

"You'll look like a walking, talking rainbow in no time," Will squeezed Ari.

Ari, not very good at sitting still, tried not to squirm and whine.

"Alright," Amir said a few minutes later. "All finished." He pulled out his phone, opening up the camera, and showed it to Ari.

"Oh!" Ari gasped. "I so pretty."

Half of Ari's face was covered in bright, beautiful colors that looked just like a rainbow.

"The prettiest," Will promised with a kiss to the top of her head.

Ari, knowing how to work an IPhone, snapped picture after picture of herself. She shoved the phone in Will and Amir's faces, taking several pictures as well.

Will, too busy laughing and having a good time, never noticed a figure hovering nearby. A figure that took a few steps forward before stepping back, undecided on whether he should approach or not. In the end, the man sighed and walked away.

* * *

After night fell at the park, Will knew he needed to get Ari dinner. Not wanting to be rude, Will invited Amir back to his father's with them. Will still wasn't the best cook and needed all the help he could get. Besides, Ari didn't want to let Amir go.

"You know," Amir said as Ari ran off to grab some more toys for them to play with. "You never told me how you ended up on that stage last night?"

Remembering that Amir had seen him twirling around a pole, Will's face heated up. Will might have believed Amir about what happened in California. He even believed that Frick was the mastermind of it all. Something held Will back from telling him the entire truth, though. Amir didn't need to know about Will's investigative work with the police.

"I told you," Will said from the kitchen, "I wanted to find out why my articles were on those bodies. I got a tip that all the victims were last seen at the club. The first night I was there, I saw a group going upstairs. The other dancers said they'd go up and entertain. I figured I needed to get up there to find out the truth. Frick told me he only sends up the best. So, I kind of injured another dancer and took his spot."

Amir laughed. "You took out a stripper?"

"I only injured him a little," Will defended. "It was an emergency anyway. I needed information. I still don't get why my articles were there."

"I started asking a lot of questions about what Frick was doing," Amir surmised. "Resisting, you know? I think Frick wanted to lure you to the club as another means to keep me in line."

"But what is Frick even doing?" Will put down a wooden spoon he used to stir a sauce pan. "I didn't understand anything I heard."

"I don't get it either," Amir said. "Something about buying up businesses or stakes in them. He's been talking to an architect, though. I think he wants to buy out the businesses, level downtown and put something in its place."

"Something he would own, I presume," Will said. "So, if he owned this giant business or whatever it is, he'd pretty much run Fairfield, right?"

"I think so," Amir sighed.

"And what do you do for him?" Will asked. "Computer stuff?"

"Yeah," Amir nodded. "More of before, spying on his enemies or whatever they're called. But, you're good at technology, too. I'm sure you can figure it out."

Will gave Amir a long, hard look. He believed Amir, he did. But something seemed off about the situation. Something that didn't make sense.

 _How would Frick get me to that club? No one knew about my articles connecting the victims except the police,_ Will realized.

Something was wrong and Will wouldn't rest until he discovered what.

* * *

Amir stayed for dinner and dessert. Lucas called and let Will know he'd be stuck at the office all night. Will believed that to mean he was going out with Adrienne Kiriakis and didn't want Will to know. Feeling a bit bitter about it all, Will didn't insist upon Amir leaving right away. Besides, Ari wouldn't let him go. Each time Amir stood up, heading for the door, Ari was by his side, pulling him back.

Will didn't know if it was Amir himself she missed or having another male presence in her life. Watching Amir and Ari play together, Will couldn't help but feel a surge of anger toward his husband.

Leaving him, Will could understand. Will hurt Sonny several times over. But to leave Ari? That would never make sense to Will. He didn't get it as a child and he didn't get it now. Will would never respect anyone that ran out on their children, Sonny included.

The longer Sonny stayed away, the farther apart Will drifted. When he heard from Sonny again, Will didn't know if there would be anything left to fix.

* * *

Ari, insisting she needed to keep her face painting, point blank refused to take a bath. Will, deciding it wasn't worth it to argue with a two-year-old, agreed.

"It's time for a bedtime story then," Will told Ari. "So, start cleaning up your toys."

With Amir's help, Ari had her toys cleaned in no time. Somehow, they always seemed to get scattered across Lucas' condo.

"Time to brush your teeth," Will picked Ari up and threw her over his shoulders. Once her teeth were clean, Will carried Ari into their shared room.

Amir hovered in the doorway, unsure if he was welcome during such an intimate, family moment.

Ari noticed Amir standing nearby. "Daddy, 'Mir read story too!"

Will glanced over his shoulder and waved Amir inside. Whatever Will could give Ari, within reason, he would. It didn't sound so bad anyway. It was just a bedtime story.

"Let's see what stories we have left," Will searched through the small bag of books he packed. They had already read them all. "How about this one?" Will held up a book.

Ari, holding onto the bars of her crib, shook her head. "No!"

"This one?" Will offered another option.

"No, no, no!" Ari complained.

"I have an idea. Be right back," Amir jogged out of the room. Will and Ari shared a bemused look before he rushed back inside. "I had this in my backpack."

Will laughed when he saw the book Amir held. It was a copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ by JK Rowling. "You just happened to have that in your bag?"

"Yeah," Amir shrugged. "I mean, I've been re-reading all the Harry Potter books. How about it, little one?" Amir showed Ari the book. "Should we read some wizarding fairy tales?"

Ari, whether it was because the book was new or because Amir suggested it, nodded several times. "Yes!"

"You read it," Will told Amir as he settled down next to Ari's crib.

"Oh," Amir almost dropped the book in his haste to open it. "Um, yeah, sure, I'll read."

Amir cleared his throat and began, "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot…"

* * *

Ari only made it through two of the fables before she was fast asleep. Fussing with her blanket, Will kissed her head. Amir followed him outside the door.

"That was good, thank you," Will told Amir. "She hasn't liked a story that much in a long time."

"Well, she's your daughter. She's bound to love anything Harry Potter," Amir stated. "Speaking of," Amir opened the book to the title page. "I think I want to make this my next tattoo."

Will admired the illustration. It featured a skull, a water pot, a wand, a stump, a worm, and a human heart interconnected by a vine of roses. "I like it. How many HP tattoos do you have now?"

"Four," Amir said. "You've only seen one, though."

"You should show me the others," Will said before realizing how suggestive that sounded. "Um, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I'm sure I do," Amir said with a self-deprecating smile.

Will almost rolled his eyes at the sight. "You're annoyingly nice about stuff. It bothers me."

"It bothers you I'm nice?" Amir tilted his head.

"Yes," Will nodded. "It'd be better if you weren't all understanding and stuff."

"Uh, I'm sorry?" Amir offered.

"Ugh," Will emitted a noise from the back of his throat. "Stop it."

"Alright, I'm not sorry," Amir chuckled still not sure if that was the right thing to say. "But I am sorry that I sort of forced myself on you today. I'm sure you had better things to do."

"Not really," Will said. "I don't know. It was kind of nice to have a friend around."

"You don't have friends?" Amir asked. "But you told me about all the people in your life. Back when we were in California, I mean."

"Yeah, well," Will crossed his arms. "My husband's gone. My best friend moved. My other best friend is dealing with my traumatized, pregnant cousin. And my last friend turned out to be a serial killer. So, no, I'm not doing too hot in the friend department."

"In that case," Amir licked his lips. "I'm not sorry. It was fun being around you again. Just make sure you stay away from the club. I wouldn't want anything happening to you or Ari."

"Yeah, I'll do my best," Will said. "Thanks for coming over, I guess."

"You're welcome," Amir laughed at Will's less than enthusiastic words.

"Oh," Will thought of something. "Stay here."

Will rushed back to the room he shared with Ari. He returned with Amir's leather jacket in hand. "Here."

Amir glanced at the jacket before shaking his head. "Nah, you keep it. I might need it as an excuse to come back."

Will's mouth opened and closed, reminiscent of a fish. He didn't know what, if anything, he should say to that.

Amir gave Will a soft smile and headed for the door. As Will opened the door to let Amir out, he bumped into his father. "Oh, hi, Dad."

"Hey," Lucas walked inside, dropping a briefcase on the sofa. "Did you have an okay time fixing dinner? I-who the hell is this?"

Lucas glared at the young, handsome man standing next to his married son.

"Oh, um, Dad, this is Amir Paracha," Will said. "Amir, my dad, Lucas Horton."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Amir stuck out his hand and frowned when Lucas tried to break his fingers.

"Yeah," Lucas glared. "If you'll excuse us but I need to have a chat with my son."

"Right," Amir nodded. On his way out the door, he gave Will another small smile. "Bye, Will."

"Bye," Will closed the door knowing he was in for a long lecture.

"Will, what the hell?" Lucas said as soon as the door closed. "Who was that and why was he here?"

"Do you just assume that I sleep with every man that I come in contact with?" Will asked in a bored tone.

"What? No, of course not," Lucas said. "But that doesn't explain-,"

"He's a friend," Will crossed his arm. "From Fairfield. He happens to know a lot about the club I've been spending time in. That's all."

"You sure about that?" Lucas raised his brows. He gave the jacket in Will's hand a pointed look.

"Yes," Will looked Lucas straight in the eyes and tilted his chin in defiance. "That's it."

* * *

Author's note:

Will Horton, king of the this-is-a-bad-decision-but-I'm-doing-it-anyway kingdom. Also, Sonny is going to appear in this story, I promise.

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Will didn't get much sleep that night. He stayed up arguing with his father over Amir. The argument ended when Will asked Lucas how his date with Adrienne went. That was the only thing that shut his father up.

Will knew his father was only trying to help. He wanted to prevent Will from making any more mistakes. But Will was so sick and tired of feeling like everything he did was wrong. For the past year, every decision Will made went from bad to worse. He felt isolated and alone. Worst of all, it was his entire fault.

Was Will spending time with Amir now good? No, probably not. But Will didn't think Sonny had much room to complain. Before he left, Sonny spent all his free time with Paul. Years ago, Sonny would hang out all the time with Brian when everyone knew how much Brian wanted to be with Sonny. The situations were no different now. Besides, Amir helped Will with the Fairfield case. So what if they knew each other before? So what if Amir had a crush on Will? There wasn't anything Will could do about that.

Will wasn't stupid, though. He knew that things were getting out of hand with his project. If Will believed Amir, and he did, Frick was behind everything. Which meant that Frick knew who Will was when he hired him and was more dangerous than Will anticipated.

Will promised himself not to think about the case in Fairfield or any of the people involved too much today. He knew he was becoming obsessed with it. Will almost couldn't help it, though. It felt like so much was riding on it. If Will could turn this article into a success, so many new opportunities would open up. Will wouldn't have to live with his father anymore or rely on his absent husband. He might even fix some of his broken pride.

As much as Will didn't want to admit, it was fun too. Delving into the seedy underbelly of small town society, sneaking around, and uncovering secrets. Will lived for those things. But he was trying to listen to the Fairfield PD and stay out of things. Three men were already dead and Will didn't want to be the fourth.

So, for the time being, Will would step away from investigating and work on the journalism aspect of his job.

Will already made some good progress on the article he was writing. It was only the roughest of rough drafts but things were coming together. Will was careful to keep his writing and notes hidden from his father. He knew Lucas would blow up on him if he found out what Will was up to at night. Will learned his lesson after Lucas found all his money from his first night as a waiter.

If Lucas found out his son moonlighted as a stripper, adult or not, he would murder Will. Detective Balewa would have to battle it out with Roman over who would lead the investigation.

Needing a break from writing, a break from it all, Will pushed his laptop aside. He poured himself a fresh cup of coffee, inhaling. There was something soothing about the smell and taste. Yet it brought a bittersweet feeling in Will. Reminded him of days past, of a love that seemed lost.

Will took a few more minutes of respite before moving into his room. Buried in the back of the closet, behind a box of Allie's old clothes, was an envelope stuffed with cash. All the money Will made over his few nights as a waiter and sometimes dancer. Combined with the money from the Fairfield police, Will had close to a $2,000. He didn't know where to put it. He considered the account Amal Paracha opened in his name but wasn't sure. Not until his suspicions about her cleared up at any rate.

Will knew he'd have to figure out something soon. It was getting close to the end of the month when most of his bills were due. Without an apartment or amenities to pay for, Will's expenses went down quite a bit. There was only his phone, Ari's preschool, and a small amount on his and Sonny's credit card.

Needing to know the exact amount of the payment, Will opened his banking app on his phone. The app hadn't worked for the past few days but last night Will downloaded an update. Today, it worked.

For most of their relationship, Sonny took care of paying for everything. Because he was the only one making money, it made sense. When he left for Paris, though, that changed. Will didn't know if Sonny was making some sort of statement or if it was just another way to punish Will. Either way, Will learned how to manage their finances just fine. Or, at least, he did when there was money for him to use.

Thinking the minimum payment for the card was around $50, Will almost screamed when he saw the balance.

Will and Sonny tried not to charge anything unless it was necessary. Things they didn't have enough cash for or were expensive. As far as Will knew, the only thing they were paying off was a new mattress they bought at the beginning of the year. Sonny wanted a fancy kind with adjustable settings. Will was indifferent and let Sonny pick whatever he wanted. Will could have laughed at the fact he didn't want the bed at all and was now the only one sleeping in it.

The only charge for months on the credit card was the mattress. It was the only charge that should have been there at all. But looking at the info on the card, Will saw that wasn't the case.

There was a long list of names Will had never heard of in places Will had never been. French names that Will assumed were restaurants or clubs had several hundreds of dollars charged. There were charges from a local hiking supply company that Sonny favored. Will didn't want to know how much it cost to ship all the way to Paris.

Will focused on one item. He assumed it had to go with the hiking gear: Chateau de Penfrat.

 _A chateau in France, a real- life French chateau. Why would Sonny…?_

Looking at the price of the stay, Will got the distinct feeling Sonny did not go alone.

Seeing how large the minimum payment was now, Will bit his lower lip, staving off tears. If Sonny was going on trips with other people it was Will's fault.

 _I pushed him away. I cheated on him. I made his life horrible. It's only fitting that I have to pay for those mistakes now._

Pay for them he did. Will knew he'd have to go to the bank and pay the credit card bill in person. Before the card was on an automatic payment but without any money in the account, Will had no choice.

 _It's almost funny_ , Will thought. _I have to pay off Sonny's lavish vacation with someone else with money I used dancing on a stage in underwear._

Will had never felt so cheap.

Will couldn't stop from thinking about Sonny, though. Where he went and who he went with? Will didn't begrudge Sonny taking in the sights in France. But if he wanted to go hiking Will could have sent along the supplies he already owned. Hell, Adrienne could have done it for Sonny if he didn't want to have any contact with Will.

 _I thought Victor would have given him an allowance. Why would Sonny be charging all those dinners and club trips to our card? Unless…_

Will sighed, rubbing his hand over his eyes.

 _Unless he wants me to see what he's up to. Unless he wants me to know he's having the time of his life without me. That he's happier without me._

For a brief, wild moment, Will tried to remember the last time he saw Paul. He wondered if Paul was with Sonny on his trip. Will could see it. He could see Sonny and Paul laughing and smiling as they explored the France together. Sampling foods that Will would have never been brave enough to try. Climbing mountains Will would have cried thinking about.

Will could see it. See Sonny hand-in-hand with the man he truly loved. Not the placeholder that Will had become.

The only thing that made Will doubt his own theory was the money. Paul would insist upon paying for everything. That he knew.

Still, Will could picture it in his mind. Could see Sonny and Paul entwined as Will got everything he deserved a thousand times over.

Going to close out his app, Will paused. He didn't notice it before, hadn't taken the time to notice.

The date Sonny paid for the chateau was Will's birthday.

 _Did he go there on my birthday?_ Will threw his phone down on the sofa and buried his face in his hands. _No wonder he didn't remember. He was too busy to bother with me._

 _It's like I told Grandma. Some punishments are crueler than others._

Will knew Sonny was angry with him and had every right to be. Will hurt Sonny in unimaginable ways. It was all made worse, of course, by Will cheating with a man Sonny wanted for himself, but still. Will understood that. Will knew he deserved Sonny's ire and his contempt. But it had been going on for months now. When would it end? When would Will have suffered enough?

Worst of all was Will still clung to foolish hope. As long as Sonny was still married to him, Will would have that hope. The hope that one day Will would have atoned for his sins and Sonny would love him again. Until that day, Will would sit at home and wait.

Needing to talk to someone about it, Will picked up his phone again. He dialed Grandma Marlena and waited. The phone rang and rang before going to voicemail. Checking the time, Will realized she could have been with a patient.

After hearing the beep, Will said, "Grandma, I need to talk to you. Please. Can you see me today? Love you."

Will still felt an itch inside his skin. Something telling him he couldn't sit at home and ruminate. Something that made Will want to go out and do something dangerous that would make him feel alive.

Will could never handle it when someone ignored him.

Will dialed his mom's number and frowned when it went to voicemail. Just his luck. The one time Sami's phone wasn't glued to her hand was when he needed her.

Undeterred, Will called T. Voicemail.

Getting a little worried, Will called his great-grandma Caroline. Voicemail.

Dad. Voicemail. Uncle Eric. Voicemail. Chad. Voicemail. Abigail. Voicemail. Uncle Austin. Voicemail. Aunt Jennifer. Voicemail. The guy he used to study with in college. Voicemail.

Panicking a bit, feeling more alone and isolated than ever, Will started to pace. He couldn't handle this right now. He needed someone to talk to, anyone. Will felt so desperate. His finger hovered over Paul's name on his contact list before his phone vibrated in his hand.

"Oh thank God," Will said as he answered the call. He didn't want to talk to Paul anyway. He wasn't sure he could handle that humiliation.

"Uh," an amused chuckle sounded, "I don't think anyone's ever greeted me that way before."

"Amir?" Will blinked for a few moments. He wondered how he got Will's number before dismissing it. He must have saved it from the year before.

"Yeah, hi, um, hey, hi, hello," Amir said before groaning. "Sorry."

"It's alright," the corners of Will's mouth lifted. He forgot how nervous Amir got sometimes.

"I didn't think you'd answer," Amir said. "I'm unprepared."

"Why wouldn't I answer?" Will asked, trying to get his mind off his own troubles.

"I don't know," Amir whispered. "I just worry about stuff like that. I think talking on the phone might be one of my biggest anxieties."

"Oh," Will said. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah, well, I don't like to advertise that I'm a neurotic mess," Amir mumbled.

"Have you met me?" Will said in a dry tone.

"Maybe that's why I like you so much," Amir said before groaning again. "Sorry, sorry. Uh, I can hang up, if you want."

"No!" Will blurted out. He wanted to talk to someone, anyone. Amir was the only one there. "I want to talk to you, to someone."

"Oh?" Amir paused. "Are you okay? You sound kind of weird."

"I…don't know," Will said. "I just, I don't know."

"You can tell me," Amir nudged. "I mean, you used to tell me stuff. I like listening to you."

Will didn't know how to express himself. How to tell Amir about how alone he's felt, how isolated. That he's afraid Sonny is never going to forgive him. That he's going to cave and rely on his father to take care of him. That a part of Will liked being in the strip club, liked that he could make so much money while doing something so bad.

"Sonny forgot my birthday," Will said even though it wasn't what he planned.

"Your husband?" Amir frowned. "How could he forget?"

"It, well, not just him," Will said. "My grandma, both my grandmas, well, everyone. Only my mom, dad, and uncle seemed to remember."

"And me," Amir said.

"And you," Will sighed. "I just looked at our credit card bill. Sonny spent my birthday at some chateau in France."

"Without you?" Amir confirmed. "He forgot your birthday and spent it on a vacation in France?"

"I think he was with someone else too," Will whispered. "The bill's so large and I just, it couldn't have been only him. And our credit card bill, in general, is huge, astronomic. I'll never be able to pay it all off even if I stripped from now until the end of time."

Amir hissed something in Urdu that Will couldn't understand. "Why would he do that?"

"Because I'm an awful husband and I deserve to be punished," Will said. He sounded so resolute, so certain.

"Will," Amir argued, "That isn't true."

"It is," Will sighed. "I hurt him too much and now I have to sit here like a good boy and wait for him to tell me I've had enough."

"I don't even know where to begin with that statement," Amir said. "You're not a dog, Will. You don't deserve to sit at home waiting for your master."

"But I hurt him," Will defended.

"Yeah, and he's not hurting you?" Amir scoffed. "One hurt doesn't cancel out another. And it shouldn't be a competition of who can hurt the other most."

"If it was, I'd still win," Will insisted. "I cheated on him. If you count you, it was twice."

"Yes, well," Amir said, "I'm sure your cheating hurt him but that doesn't give him the right to hurt you. If he couldn't forgive you, he should have broken up with you. Not gone to the other side of the world and done this crap to you."

"But I-," Will tried to say.

"Look, you cheated on him with that," Amir had to force the name out, "Paul person. Maybe you got too close to me. But that doesn't make you an evil monster that deserves pain. Especially when it's inflicted by your husband."

"You don't get it," Will said.

"Then tell me," Amir requested in a harsh tone, almost spitting the words. "Tell me what I should understand then. What, were you in love with Paul or something?"

"No," Will said, "Of course not."

"Then what?" Amir wondered. "I read all the articles, you know. All the press on what happened. Paul was with Sonny before, right? That's why Sonny's torturing you now because you slept with his ex-boyfriend."

"I-um-I think so, yeah," Will said. "I mean, I think Sonny always wanted Paul and he only married me because I was there."

Amir waited a few seconds to let the words settle. "So, you're with a man that abandoned you and your daughter. Took all your money for himself. Spent your birthday in a French chateau with another person and ran up your credit card. And this is the man you want to be with? This is the type of man you think you deserve?"

"I-yes," Will said. "It sounds worse when you say it like that."

"It is worse," Amir argued. "You don't deserve that. No one deserves that. Yeah, you did a bad thing. Knowing you, you made it worse somehow too."

Will pouted, annoyed Amir knew him so well.

"I mean, why did you even cheat in the first place?" Amir wondered. "Why did you sleep with that Paul guy?"

"I don't know," Will crossed his arms, shoulders hunching inward.

"Yes, you do," Amir replied. "You do, Will."

Will threw his head back against the couch. "I guess because I was needy and lonely and liked that Paul treated me like I was worth the effort. He was nice and interesting and he made me feel important. Plus, he was, you know, rich and famous and I had a crush on him before I even met him. And I did meet him and he was all sexy and mysterious and spent all his time flirting with me. Sonny and I hadn't been right since I left for LA. Everything was a mess and I didn't tell him about getting fired or about you. Instead of fixing things, I just clung to Paul. He came on to me and I just, I gave in and damned the consequences."

"Oh," Amir swallowed.

"Oh?" Will repeated.

"I guess, I don't know what I expected," Amir said with a sad chuckle. "It's nothing. I'm being stupid."

"I don't get it," Will said. He opened up to Amir the way he wanted Will too. What was the problem?

"I'm just…" Amir searched for the word. "Jealous."

"Jealous?" Will whispered.

"I mean, you already know how I felt, feel," Amir rushed to explain. "And I just, I wanted to hear that Paul did something specific, maybe. That there was some great experience and you had to be with him. But, you just, there wasn't and I'm just wondering why it didn't happen with us. I wanted it to happen with us."

Will didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He never knew how to handle Amir when he said things like that.

"That's horrible, I know," Amir exhaled through his nose. "I just, we had so much fun together and we have so many things in common. We spent so much time writing together. It's selfish but if you had to cheat with anyone, I just thought it'd be with me."

"I," Will licked his lips. "But we don't have things in common. You lied to me. You're not even a writer."

"No," Amir conceded. "I'm not. But that doesn't mean the rest was fake. I mean, yeah, Frick made me get that job but everything else was real."

"Was it?" Will frowned. He had no way of knowing. Will thought Amir was a writer, that he loved it as much as Will did. But that was a lie. A lie Will believed so easily.

 _What else has Amir said that I believed?_

"Will?" Amir asked. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Will answered. "I don't know anything anymore. Sonny's not who I thought he was and you're not either and Paul and-," Will took a deep breath. "I don't know anything about anything. I don't know what's happening and I shouldn't talk to you at all. I shouldn't. If Sonny found out…"

"He left you, Will," Amir said in a cold tone. "He doesn't get a say in who you talk to."

"He does," Will argued. "Because he'll know. He'll know how much I liked you. He'll know that if I wasn't fired, that I'd probably had slept with you too. And if he finds out I've seen you, he'll never forgive me. He won't. Oh God, what am I doing?"

"Will, calm down," Amir said.

"And I told him I wanted to be a stripper," Will groaned. "What is wrong with me? He's never going to come home, now. He's going to think I'm even skankier than I was when he left."

Will knew what everyone would think if they found out where he went at night. If they learned he wears next to nothing and flirts with men all night for money. He could hear the comments already. From his family, from his friends, from the Kiriakis'. Adrienne, Justin, and Victor hated him before. How would they feel about him now?

"You aren't skanky," Amir insisted. "Will, you're just trying to work."

"Am I?" Will wondered. "Or am I just doing the wildest, stupidest thing I can to make myself feel better? Because I like it! I like going there and letting people see me. I like that they look at me because at least someone cares. It's been months since someone looked at me as if I was worth anything and I don't even care where it comes from! I can't, I can't, I can't do this. I can't."

"You know," Amir said, sounding as if he was losing his patience. "It's better to have nobody than to have someone who is half there. Or isn't there at all."

Will hung up on Amir instead of responding.

 _What is wrong with me? No wonder Sonny spent my birthday with someone else. I would too._

* * *

An hour later, Lucas came home for lunch. He had a plastic bag full of takeout for him and Will to share.

"Hey, I brought lunch," Lucas announced. "You get the forks and I'll-Will?"

Will sat on the couch bent over in half. His elbows rested on his knees and his head was in his hands.

"What's wrong?" Lucas dropped the food on the table and rushed to Will's side.

Will didn't say anything, just shook his head back and forth. Lucas rubbed a circle against Will's back, waiting for him to say something.

Will looked up at his dad's face through watery eyes. He didn't know what made him say it or why he thought of it at all. It just blurted right out. "Sonny doesn't love me, does he?"

"Oh," Lucas' eyebrows rose to the top of his head. "Well, uh, I don't know."

"Adrienne knows," Will guessed. "So, you know. I know you spend all your free time with her. You don't have to lie to me. Sonny doesn't want me anymore. I don't have any chance of getting him back, do I?"

Lucas looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "At some point, you gotta realize that you've done too much, that you've waited too long. That you gotta stop. It's not like you're giving up and it's not like you shouldn't have hope. It's just that you have to draw the line between determination and desperation. If you're meant to be with Sonny, you will be. If you aren't, no matter how hard you try, you won't be."

Will let out a small sob.

"I know from experience, buddy," Lucas sat next to Will and put his arm around him. "Letting go of someone you love is one of the hardest things you will ever do. But I promise you that it's not as hard as holding on to someone who'll never love you back."

Will leaned against his father's shoulder, muffling the sounds of his cries. He mumbled something that sounded so close to, "Not good enough."

"You've always been good enough," Lucas argued. His grip on Will turning tight and protective. "You've just been giving the best parts of you to the wrong people."

Will snorted through a sob. Lucas held him; letting Will get out all his hurt and frustration. After a few minutes, Will pulled away. He crossed his arms around himself, looking smaller than he was.

"I used to think it was romantic fighting for someone. About winning them back, getting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, you know? But sitting here," Will shook his head and wiped away a stupid tear, "Feeling hopeless and alone, I know it's not. There is nothing romantic about having to convince someone to love you."

"I know there isn't, son," Lucas stood up. "And I never wanted you to have to learn that lesson. Excuse me for a minute," Lucas said with a steely determination. "I have a call to make."

* * *

After Lucas went back to work, Will sat with a blank piece of paper in front of him. He was at the table, pen shaking in his hands.

At the top of the letter, he wrote, Sonny, and stopped. He didn't know what else to say. A few minutes later, Will let his hand flow across the page.

 _Sonny,_

 _I think it's time I let you go. A part of me will be in love with you forever but this isn't healthy. I can't do this anymore._

Will paused. It was time to get Ari.

With a sigh, Will crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it in the recycle. He didn't know what he wanted to do or say. He just knew he couldn't do this all on his own anymore.

* * *

Author's note:

Does Will really know what Sonny's been doing? Or is he just assuming?

Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

"I'll look into Amal like you suggested," Detective Balewa told Will over the phone. "But I don't see how she's connected."

"She works at the bank," Will stressed. "The bank I use."

"I fail to see how that connects to the murders," Balewa said.

"Because I first started having the problem in California," Will said. "After I met Amir, after Frick sent Amir to California. And his mom works at the bank where I've had money troubles. So many that I became desperate for cash and agreed to work at a strip club."

"That might not mean anything," Balewa offered. "Didn't she tell you your husband cleared out the account?"

"She said that," Will stated. "But when I called the bank the other day, they said they had no idea what happened."

"Amal is a higher up," Balewa reminded Will. "Maybe she has access to more information."

"That doesn't even make sense," Will said.

"I've known Amal for decades," Balewa ignored Will. "She's not involved in any sort of murder."

"Well, you didn't think Amir could either but he's working for Frick," Will pointed out.

"Blackmailed into working," Balewa rubbed the middle of his forehead. "Why didn't he ever tell me? I would have helped him."

"Well, couldn't you charge Frick with that?" Will questioned.

"I could," Balewa sighed, "But only if Amir talked to me about it and he won't. Besides, I'm more worried about the murders."

"Well, that has to be Frick," Will said, "Or done on his orders."

"I know," Balewa agreed. "I looked into it. All three of the victims needed money. Frick's one of the richest in town. They must have gone to him."

"And when they learned too much or asked questions," Will theorized, "He got rid of them."

"I'm sure that's what happened," Balewa confirmed.

"Have you found anything about what Frick's up to?" Will wondered. "Is he trying to monopolize the town or something?"

"I found out some," Balewa sighed. "Not enough to charge him with anything. No one's talking. We even went to the barbershop Frick mentioned. He wouldn't talk to us either. What we need is proof. And don't take that as a personal challenge."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Will said in a mock-offended voice.

* * *

Will dropped Ari off at preschool before walking towards his grandmother's office. Talking with his father yesterday was nice but not enough. Will needed to talk to Marlena. She was the only one he could open up to about it all. About Sonny, about Amir, about his time in Fairfield, his money troubles. Maybe she could help Will figure out what was going on in his head.

Taking a shortcut, Will heard his name called out in a strange déjà vu of the last time he was in the town square.

Turning around, Will frowned when he saw who it was. "What?"

Paul Narita, slowing down to stop in front of Will, said, "We need to talk."

"Since when do we talk?" Will asked with raised brows. "I liked what we had before. I ignored you. You ignored me. We pretended the other didn't exist. Let's go back to that."

Will made to walk away when Paul snatched Will's upper arm and pulled him back.

"Yeah, not so fast," Paul said, ignoring Will's struggles. He lifted his hand in a strained wave when two women passing by gave them furtive looks. "I know what you've been doing."

"What have I been doing?" Will asked, trying to yank his arm out of Paul's firm grip. As far as Will knew, he hadn't seen Paul in a month. Will spent most of his days secluded at home and his nights in Fairfield. What could Paul know about Will's actions?

"Come here," Paul pulled Will into a secluded alcove.

Ripping his arm away, at last, Will glared at Paul. "You don't get to drag me places, Narita."

"Will," Paul said. He licked his lips, glancing at Will's face before focusing on a spot above Will's ear. "I saw you."

"Yeah," Will nodded with large eyes, "I see you too, Paul. You're standing in front of me."

"No," Paul shook his head, "That's not, ugh, I saw you, Will. Okay? I _saw_ you."

Will looked at the weird expression on Paul's face. He kept bobbing his head like he was trying to tell Will something. "Saw me?" Will repeated, lost.

Paul closed his eyes and sighed. "I saw you, Will." When Will continued staring, Paul whispered, "Stripping."

Will gazed at Paul for a few long moments as horror swept over him. "Stripping?" Will whispered, cheeks flushed with humiliation.

"Yeah," Paul took a step away from Will. Neither seemed to hold the others gaze.

"Oh," Will said, zipping his jacket up higher around his neck in a bout of modesty. A false sense of modesty since Paul had seen much more of Will in a hotel room than he did on that stage. Still, the idea that Paul had watched him dance brought a strange feeling in Will. "You watched me?"

"You aren't going to deny it?" Paul wondered.

"Why would I?" Will chanced a glance at Paul. "You _saw_ me," Will mocked.

"I don't understand how you could have done that," Paul said. "Will, what the hell are you doing?"

This was the exact reaction Will feared if the truth came out. Having to deal with scorn and judgment for his choices especially from someone like Paul. Someone that already hated him, already thought the worst of him. Although, it reminded Will of something important.

"Wait a minute," Will took a step back. "You _saw_ me?"

"That's not the-," Paul tried to say.

"I was on that stage two days ago," Will said in a harsh tone. "Two days and you're telling me this, now?"

"Well, I tri-," Paul attempted.

"You saw me on that stage, in that outfit, and you what? You watched and didn't say anything to me?" Will advanced on Paul, poking him in the chest, hard.

"That isn't, I didn't mean to, I didn't know you were going to do that!" Paul defended as he rubbed against his chest.

"Why were you even there?" Will demanded, crossing his arms.

"I followed you," Paul admitted.

"Why?" Will questioned, mouth falling open.

"I don't-I don't know," Paul said in a desperate attempt to explain. "I saw you driving into town late the other night. I was curious. When I saw you leave late again, I just, I followed you."

"You stalked me?" Will spat out in disbelief.

"Well, it's a good thing I did," Paul changed the subject. "I mean, what the hell? Why are you stripping? What are you thinking?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," Will stated. "And for your information, I didn't strip. I was already half naked. I just danced. And why were you at the club at all? Why would you even go to Fairfield?"

"I-," Paul's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "That is not the point! We're talking about you, Will. What have you gotten yourself into now?" Paul looked at him with a peculiar expression. One that Will didn't care for at all.

"What makes you think I'm going to tell you?" Will asked, eyes hardening.

"I saw you with that guy at the park too," Paul confessed. "Yesterday, you, him, and Ari. I was going to talk to you, tell you what I saw when I noticed who you were with. How could you do that? I've seen him at the club. He's dangerous. If you're in some kind of trouble, I-," Paul started.

"You'll what?" Will questioned with a cruel sneer. "Take care of it? Help? Run off to your star-crossed love to tell him about what mean, awful Will is doing now?"

"I-," Paul looked taken aback. "I don't know. Just because we don't get along anymore doesn't mean I want you stripping."

"Is that why you followed me?" Will lifted his head up high. "So you could rat on me? Add it to the ever-growing list of my faults?" Will didn't give Paul any time to respond. "What I do is none of your concern. So, stay out of my business."

"Damnit, Will," Paul spat out, patience breaking. "I'm trying to help you. I already told-"

"I don't need help," Will interrupted. "I know what I'm doing and why. Now, leave me alone."

With that, Will turned on his heel and walked away. He didn't walk to his grandma's office after all, no. Paul got Will too worked up. Seeing Paul, learning that Paul knew his secret sparked something inside Will. Egged Will on.

 _I am gonna solve this thing. I'm gonna figure it out. And I will write the biggest, best article this town has ever seen. An article so good it'll wipe that stupid condescending look off Paul's face._

 _To do that, I need proof._

* * *

Will returned to Lucas' condo, door slamming behind him. He paced back and forth for a few minutes as he struggled out of his jacket. He needed to think.

Spotting his laptop on the kitchen table sparked something in Will's memory.

 _Amir uses a computer to work with Frick._

If the police couldn't find anything linking Frick to the murders, maybe Will could.

On a hunch, Will looked into where the ketamine that killed the men came from. The police department had a record of Frick's financials. Nothing suggested he bought the drugs with his own money. Although, Will noted, Frick used the same bank that Will did.

Will checked local veterinaries to see if any of their drugs were missing but no luck. On a whim, Will checked the delivery log for Frick's club. There wasn't any drug listed which didn't surprise Will. Frick was too smart to use his or the club's money. But Will did see a suspicious looking delivery. All the club's deliveries included a detailed description but not this one. A delivery that happened just a few days before the first murder.

 _That must be it_ , Will realized. Not that Will had proof of what was in the box that arrived, but it was a start.

Will wondered if the box was still there. He had seen the storeroom at the club. It wasn't big but everything's labeled and organized. Looking at the list on his laptop screen, Will deliberated.

 _What are the chances Frick left the drugs in the box? It would be a good hiding spot. Leave it in plain sight._

 _If I can get into the storeroom, I might just get my proof._

* * *

Will walked through the back entrance of the strip club. It wouldn't look suspicious if he was there. Although, he still felt like he was doing something wrong.

 _I have to hope Amir isn't upstairs and that the police don't find out I'm here._

Despite telling Detective Balewa he wouldn't come back to the club, Will had to. Not only to investigate his hunch but because of Frick. He had Will scheduled to work. He knew who Will was. If Will didn't show up for work, Frick would get suspicious. Will had to return.

After putting on his costume, Will did what he could to settle his nerves.

"Aw, Horton," Frick said as he walked into the employee locker room. "Glad to see you back. Go work the room, beautiful." He punctuated the request with a smack to the bottom that caused Will to roll his eyes.

Pleased he wouldn't have to dance, Will nodded. He noticed the dancer he tripped glaring at him from the corner of his eye. Will didn't have the time or the energy to care about that. He wasn't there to make friends. Will was on a mission. Being at the club, smiling and flirting with the customers was only a means to get what he wanted.

When the time came for his first break, Will tiptoed to the storage room. A light layer of sweat glistened on his bare skin.

 _When I write this_ , Will thought as he wiped his brow, _I'm omitting the wardrobe._

Wings, a mask, and short shorts didn't create the air of sophistication Will was going for.

As Will searched through the boxes, he had a moment of doubt. Will wished he told Detective Balewa his plan. Wished he had the man's soothing voice in his ear, encouraging Will on. Wished he still had the possibility of rescue if Frick caught him.

 _God, I am so stupid_ , Will thought as he realized what he was doing. _Why did I come here? I told Balewa I wouldn't. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

 _I could have gotten Officer Ramirez to help, at least. I'm sure he would have done what I wanted. Why didn't I think of that earlier?_

Ignoring his fears, Will dug through a few boxes. After a few minutes, Will found the box he was looking for. He took a deep breath and opened it. Inside were several white prescription boxes labeled Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection.

 _Oh my god,_ Will realized. He counted the boxes as fast as he could. There were, at least, fifty of them.

Snapping a few pictures, Will sent them to Detective Balewa's cell phone. He included a message with details about where to find the drugs and that he was sorry he didn't listen.

Relieved that he found something of use, Will left the box where it was. He opened the door to the storage room and poked his head out to ensure the coast was clear.

Will made it all the way down the hallway and into the locker room before someone shoved him into a wall.

Letting out an embarrassing shriek, Will sighed when he saw Amir. "You scared the hell out of me," Will scolded.

Amir, holding Will's shoulders against the locker room wall, growled. "What are you doing here? I told you not to come back here. I told you!"

"I-uh-well," Will didn't know what to say before deciding on the truth. He squirmed against the wall, white wings digging into his back. "I didn't think you'd see me."

"Didn't think I'd see you?" Amir glared. He pushed Will's mask up to the top of his head. "You wear big giant fucking wings! Of course, I saw you."

Will flinched. He'd never heard Amir use that tone or use such vulgar language.

"Don't you get it?" Amir leaned his head in closer, face twisted into something ugly. "Three people are dead, Will. Dead. Do you want that to be you?"

"N-no," Will stuttered out.

"Did you even think about your daughter?" Amir pushed Will's shoulders further into the wall. "About what would happen to her if you were gone? If you got hurt?"

"No," Will whispered, horrified. He hadn't. Will didn't think about anything but his selfish need to prove himself. But at what cost? What if something horrible did happen to him? "I didn't, I-," Will's eyes watered.

Amir cursed in Urdu before cradling Will's face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out. But you have to stop this, Will. It isn't your job to solve this."

"I just wanted to do something good," Will admitted, overwhelmed. "Nothing's gone right and everything I do is wrong. I-I can't provide for Ari and my husband doesn't love me. And I just want this so I could make something of myself. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's okay," Amir pulled Will into a hug. "It's okay. I'll get you home. It's fine. It'll be fine."

"I didn't mean to-," Will tried to say.

"I know. It's okay," Amir promised, hand splayed across Will's bareback beneath the wings. "It's okay."

A commotion near the door caught Will and Amir's attention. Three stunned, familiar voices echoed throughout the locker room.

"Oh my god!"

"See!"

"Will?"

Will's stomach fell. He was certain it was somewhere near his knees by now. Looking at him with terrible, accusing eyes were three men he never wanted to see him like this: Lucas Horton, Paul Narita, and his husband, Sonny Kiriakis.

Will pushed Amir away from him, aware of how undressed he was. Face a mess with tears and leaking eyeliner, Will didn't know what to say. He leaned against the wall and looked at his husband through watery eyes.

Sonny didn't say anything. He stared at Will. Eyeing Will's exposed glittery skin and the wings slung over his back.

Will bit his lip. It wasn't fair. Sonny wasn't supposed to come back now, not to see this. Will waited for so long to see Sonny again. It wasn't fair.

"I didn't want to believe it," Lucas broke the silence. "I didn't want to believe Paul." He shook his head before exploding on Will. "You told me you were a waiter!"

"I-I am," Will defended. "I am."

"That's not what I saw," Paul argued, doing his best not to look at Will although it was hard.

"You don't understand!" Will burst out. None of them did. It wasn't like Will was doing this for fun.

"What's to understand?" Sonny asked in a dull voice, face blank. "What's to understand, Will?"

Will closed his eyes, hunching forward. The first time he heard his husband's voice in something other than a voicemail and it was this.

"What's to understand?!" Sonny shouted, making Will jump. "I-I went away because of this behavior. Because of you pulling one stupid, ridiculous stunt after another. And now this? What the hell am I supposed to think?"

"I can explain," Will said in a weak voice.

"Explain what?" Sonny lashed out. "Explain why you're selling yourself? Explain why you're half-naked all over someone else? God, Will! What the hell have you been doing while I was gone?"

"Shut up!" everyone turned to look at the man standing next to Will.

Amir vibrated with anger as he glowered at Sonny. "Shut up."

Will watched as Sonny glared right back.

"I don't know who the hell you are," Sonny sneered. "But stay out it."

"No," Amir stated. He stood up to his full height, which wasn't any taller than Sonny, and spat, "You don't get to talk to him like that."

"He's my husband! I can talk to him any damn way I feel like," Sonny snarled.

"Maybe, as his husband, you should show him some respect," Amir sniffed.

"Respect?" Sonny repeated in a low voice. "Respect? I'm supposed to respect the man that can't seem to stop cheating on me?"

Will whimpered. "I didn't."

No one listened to him.

"I'm supposed to respect the man that's here," Sonny lifted his hands and waved them in the air. "That's in a strip joint, wearing that," Sonny pointed at Will. "That hasn't called me, hasn't texted me. That's who I'm supposed to respect?"

Will's mouth opened and closed several times. He did call. He called almost every day.

"Funny words from a man that abandoned his daughter," Amir held Sonny's gaze.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Sonny narrowed his eyes.

"You know the one thing I can't stand?" Amir's lips pursed. "Deadbeat dads."

When Sonny looked ready to take a step forward, Lucas and Paul both reached out and grabbed his arms.

"You don't know anything!" Sonny yelled at Amir, yelled at the stranger. "And you?" Sonny turned to see Will's wide-eyed tear-stained face. "I'm done with you."

Will curled into himself, sobbing.

Sonny stormed out of the locker room, Paul following.

Lucas uncrossed his arms and pulled Will against him. When Amir came close, Lucas barred his teeth. "I think you've done enough."

"He didn't do anything!" Amir yelled. "Will," he motioned to touch Will's arm.

Will shook his head, vision blurred.

Lucas spoke to Will in a low, soothing tone. "Let's get you changed, come on, son."

"You don't deserve that kind of treatment," Amir said as Will walked towards his locker. "You deserve more than someone that leaves you for months and assumes the worst."

"Would you shut up?" Lucas said, blocking Amir's sight of Will as he changed.

"No," Amir shook his head. "No, I'm not going to stand back and let anyone say things like that to him. He was crying! Will was crying and every single one of you jumped to the worst possible conclusion. What is wrong with you people?"

Lucas shook his head and set his jaw. "Just stay the hell away from my son. I can guarantee he's never coming back here again."

"Good!" Amir shouted. "I don't want him to come back!"

Without another word, Amir stormed off, muttering in a different language under his breath.

Lucas took a few deep breaths before facing Will. "Come on," Lucas put his arm around Will's shivering form. "I'll take you home."

Will said nothing as silent tears fell down his face.

* * *

Author's notes:

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

"Will?" a muffled voice asked from behind a door. "Come on, buddy. Unlock the door."

Will shook his head. He didn't care if his father couldn't see him. Will closed his eyes and squeezed Ari tighter against him.

From the minute Lucas ushered Will into the car, Will curled into a ball and refused to say anything. He didn't answer any of Lucas' questions. Only shook his head and covered his ears.

Will barricaded himself in his temporary room with Ari. He didn't sleep at all.

Now, in the early morning, Will refused to talk to anyone but Ari. He made her breakfast when she woke up, of course. But he didn't take her to preschool. Instead, they stayed in bed, watching cartoons and cuddling.

Every time Will's eyes would water or his lip would tremble, he'd press his nose to her hair and steady himself. Ari was the only thing that kept him going. She looked at him as if he was her entire world. That's all Will needed now. He couldn't, wouldn't talk to anyone else.

That didn't mean Lucas stopped trying.

"Will, please," Lucas begged. "I don't understand any of this. I talked to your grandpa. Roman didn't know what I was talking about when I said you were doing a favor for the Fairfield PD. He didn't have a clue."

 _They didn't tell him. They didn't want Grandpa to know I was helping them. He'd try to stop them_ , Will thought. _Grandpa never knew._

"Please," Lucas tried again. "Just tell me why you were there. Tell me why that guy was there. I can't help you if I don't know the truth."

 _I can't tell you. You won't believe me anyway._

"I'm sure if you just explained it to Sonny," Lucas said. "He would understand. I mean, he did leave you alone for months. But, Will, I'm confused here. You told me you called him and Sonny never called you back. That isn't what happened. I looked at Sonny's phone in the car during the drive to Fairfield. He doesn't have any calls from you."

 _I called him almost every day. I begged him to talk to me. To come back to me or get rid of me for good. He's the one that never called, not me._

"And the credit card bill," Lucas sighed, head resting against the door. "You have to talk to Sonny about it, Will. You have to."

Will closed his eyes, trying to block out the words. Ari laughed as Cookie Monster ate all Elmo's cookies.

"Something is wrong, Will," Lucas insisted. "You have to tell me so I can fix this. You have to tell me."

Will adjusted Ari in his arms so he could rest his face on top of her head. Ari, sweet as can be, reached up one dainty hand and petted Will's face. She knew Will hurt but didn't know how to comfort him.

"Don't get upset with Paul either," Lucas said. "He did the right thing calling Sonny and calling me. I asked you to tell me if you were in trouble. I can't tell you how disappointed I am seeing you like that last night. Dressed like that? With that guy touching you? You're better than this, Will. You are. Maybe you don't feel that way, I don't know. Maybe you think you can only use your body but you're more than that. I know you are."

Will bit his lip. He refused to say anything.

"I called your mother," Lucas said after a few moments of silence. "She said you haven't talked to her in almost a week. That's not like you. None of this is like you. Will, just tell me what's going on, please."

 _I called her the other day. I sent her text after text and she hasn't responded. No one's responded. No one._

"Alright," Lucas sighed. "I have to get to work but we're talking when we get home. I know you're hurting right now and I respect that. If you give it some time, Sonny will talk to you. You can clear the air. And Will? Don't do anything stupid."

After he was certain Lucas left, Will and Ari moved to the front room. Will cut Ari up some apple slices and gave her a handful of grapes. She munched on the couch as she watched Daniel Tiger.

"Is beautiful day in 'hood, ride 'long me, riiiiiiide 'looooong," Ari sang the theme song.

Will sat beside her, looking at his phone for the first time that night. He didn't understand what his dad or Sonny said. Just in November, alone, Will called Sonny 27 times.

 _How could he not get any of those_? Will wondered with narrowed eyes _. And Mom, that makes even less sense._ Will opened the texts. It said right at the top that his mom looked at the messages _. Last seen 11/14/15 at 4:14pm._

 _Who the hell read it if it wasn't Mom?_

 _Dad was right. Something is wrong here._

Will knew that. He did but in light of last night, Will couldn't focus. How could he when he'd lost his husband? And all over a misunderstanding, something Will didn't even do. But how could he get anyone to believe that? It was so farfetched Will didn't even know what to say.

 _Sorry, I dressed like a slutty angel. A detective from a town I've never been to asked me to check out a gay club. A club where the man everyone thinks I cheated on my husband with happens to hang out. He was only touching my half-naked body because a potential serial killer is blackmailing him into working and if he doesn't, I might get killed. Oh, and said serial killer also interfered with my mom's movie for some godforsaken reason._

 _Yeah, like anyone will believe that._

Thinking over the situation, Will realized he forgot something. Because of what happened after, the confrontation, Will forgot about the drugs he found. Forgot that he sent a text to Balewa about it all.

Fumbling his phone, Will dialed Balewa's number.

"Horton?" Balewa answered in a growl. Will could hear a lot of hustle and bustle in the background. "Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to call you all night!"

"What?" Will pulled his phone away with a frown. He hadn't received any calls. "What are you talking about?"

"We went down to the club after I got your picture," Balewa explained in a rush. "We didn't have any reason to search the place at first but we saw probable cause. We found the drugs and a whole bunch of other goodies."

"That's good, isn't it?" Will asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Yes, and no," Balewa said. "We found the evidence. We know for sure it was Frick that ordered the men dead. We even know he forced Monroe and Aker to pump them full of drugs and rig an accident. We have everything except…"

"Except what?" Will's stomach clenched. He knew this wasn't going to be good.

"Frick and Aker," Balewa stated. "In the confusion, they got away. We don't know where they are."

"Oh god," Will gasped. "Frick could be anywhere."

"Yeah, that's what we thought too only…" Balewa paused.

"Only what?" Will wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Only when we stormed into the loft upstairs," Balewa explained, "Frick was berating Paracha about you. You disappeared during your shift and he saw Paracha coming out of the locker room. He thinks Paracha told you everything."

"Well, he didn't," Will said.

"Frick doesn't know that," Balewa sighed. "Will, he thinks you know everything he did, you, a journalist. Who also happens to be the grandson of Salem's police chief and the object of Paracha's affection."

"What are you saying?" Will sat up straighter.

"I think Frick's coming after you," Balewa said in a firm tone. "To shut you up."

"Oh," Will blinked a few times. He pulled Ari against him without even realizing it.

"Will," Balewa said in a steady, determined tone. "I need you to lock all the doors and windows, alright? I'm calling your grandfather. He'll come to you. Do not answer the door for anyone else, do you understand me?"

"Yeah," Will answered, trying not to sound nervous. He rushed to the sliding glass door near the balcony, locking it tight. Will pulled the curtains to cover the window.

"Make sure you look through the keyhole," Balewa ordered. "And demand your grandfather identify himself. I'm coming done there too."

Will could hear Balewa rushing, throwing out a few orders.

"Lock the door and don't panic," Balewa said. "I'll explain everything to Roman. My personal feelings about the Salem PD aside, he'll take care of you until I get there. Don't worry."

"Okay," Will mumbled.

"The door, Will, go," Balewa said. "Don't worry."

Will heard a beep indicating Balewa disconnected the call. He jogged to the door, not trying to worry Ari but also rushing.

"Daddy?" Ari questioned from the sofa.

"Yeah?" Will paused in front of the door. He looked over his shoulder to see her wide, bright eyes.

"No school?" Ari asked, seeming to realize that her routine was off.

"No, no school," Will answered with a shaky smile. "You and I are gonna spend all day together."

"Alllllllll day?" Ari gasped, moving to her knees and bouncing.

"Yep," Will popped. "Grandpa Roman is going to come over and visit too. We might go to the police station for a while. I used to spend time there when I was little. Well, that's because your grammy would forget to pick me up and the police would find me. But it's almost the same thing."

Will knew he was rambling, starting to sweat. Everything had gotten so messed up. He should have known better than to get involved in something like this. It was too much, too dangerous. Will shouldn't have done any of this.

Ari, standing on the couch, toddled to the end to get to Will. Still unsteady on her feet, Ari teetered on the edge of a cushion and fell towards the floor.

Will dived, catching Ari just in time. Ari paused for a few seconds before letting out a loud wail.

"Shh, it's okay," Will cooed, cradling her against him. "It's alright. You're okay. You fell and it was scary but you're alright. Daddy's got you."

Ari cried noisy screeches as tears fell down her cheeks. She burrowed her face in Will's neck; letting Will support her whole weight.

Will stood up, bouncing Ari in his arms. He whispered soothing words in her ears, cupping her face until she looked at him.

"You're okay, right? Daddy won't let you get hurt," Will bopped her on the nose until she let out a wet giggle.

While getting Ari to calm down, Will forgot about his other problems. Forgot about Sonny and the disaster of the night before. Forgot about Balewa's call. That two men wanted for murder could be on the way to Will right then. All that faded away in the midst of Ari's pain and discomfort.

Which was why Will forgot the need to lock the door. He forgot his fears and need to be vigilant. Nothing else mattered but Ari.

"Do you feel better?" Will wondered as he wiped away Ari's lingering tears.

Ari nodded, puckering her lips.

"Good," Will accepted her wet kiss. "Now, let's go back to Daniel Tiger and Miss Katerina Kitty Cat…meow meow." Will waited a few beats before saying, "Meow, meow," over and over again.

Ari giggled away, clinging to Will.

"Isn't that sweet?" a deep voice said behind Will, causing the hairs on the back of Will's neck to stand up.

Will, back to the door, held Ari tight against his chest, enveloping her in his arms. He stood still, almost frozen. His phone was in his back pocket. He could reach it. Maybe make a call before the man got to Will. But to do that he'd have to loosen his grip on Ari.

Will couldn't do that. He couldn't let Ari go.

"Turn around, nice and slow," the voice said.

Will didn't know what to do. He couldn't put Ari in danger. Yet he knew if he followed directions something would happen, something bad.

"Don't make me say it again," the voice warned.

Will didn't have much of a choice. Keeping Ari shielded, Will turned.

The man before Will was Leon Aker, the bouncer at Frick's club. He didn't have a weapon although his hand was in his pocket.

"Let's go," Aker ordered, gesturing with his head toward the door. When Will didn't move, Aker narrowed his eyes. "I'm not asking."

Will nodded, hoping Aker believed him sincere. Will weighed the pros and cons. Either way, this wouldn't end well and he couldn't let Ari get hurt. Making as if to follow Aker, Will glanced around the condo. Spotting the coat closet, Will steeled himself. He only had one chance.

Aker, keeping his eyes on Will, grabbed the front door that he left open. He watched Will but Will could tell that he didn't expect trouble. It made it all the easier for Will to reach for the closet door and throw himself and Ari inside.

The closet was small and cramped. Lucas' vacuum took up most of the room. Will crouched down with Ari in his lap to fit. The door didn't have a proper lock but Will held the knob tight. He wasn't as strong as Aker but he had adrenaline on his side. Bracing his legs against the back of the wall, Will held onto the knob with one hand. The other hand reached for his cell phone.

Will intended to call his grandpa Roman or Detective Balewa, anyone that could help. It was hard to concentrate with all the noise. With Aker's shouts, Ari's renewed cries, and the door threatening to cave behind him.

Will's fingers slid against the screen, pushing things he didn't mean to. He dialed Sonny's number by accident. Knowing he and Ari only had one chance at this, Will prayed Sonny would answer this time.

Like always, Will heard it ringing. Will knew it took ten rings before getting the voicemail message. On the fifth ring, Will heard Sonny's voice.

Hope blossomed in Will's chest. Sonny would save them. It didn't matter how many arguments they had, how many misunderstandings. Sonny would always be Will's knight in shining armor.

"Sonny! Help! Sonny, you have to-" Will yelled right away. Aker increased the force behind his attack at the sound of Will's voice.

"Hi, this is Sonny Kiriakis," Sonny's familiar and hated voicemail said.

"Oh my god," the phone slid to the floor next to Will. "Oh my god. He sent me to voicemail. He sent me to voicemail. He didn't answer. He-he, this means he was getting my calls. He was getting them and he didn't answer on purpose. He didn't answer."

Will bowed his head, breath catching in his throat. Earlier, while listening to his father, Will thought Sonny told the truth. Maybe Will's calls weren't going through. Maybe there was some kind of mix-up and signals were getting crossed. That couldn't be the truth, though, not now.

While distracted, the door behind Will cracked, the wood splitting. Ari screamed and Will shoved her as far into the closet as she could get.

Someone would hear her cries. Someone would hear the noise and call the police. Roman would burst through the door at any minute. They'd find a way out of this. They would.

It was silent behind Will for a moment. No grunts, no loud bellows as a shoulder smashed against the door. Nothing.

It didn't last long.

A loud smash sounded against the doorknob and the splintered door cracked open. Aker bashed the knob with a heavy statue that sat on a bookshelf near the door.

Will, leaning over Ari, blocking her from sight, kicked out at Aker.

Aker grabbed Will's foot and twisted. Will shouted as he felt his knee bend too far. Will panted as Aker grabbed the back of his hair and yanked.

"You couldn't do this the easy way," Aker grumbled. He brandished a syringe, pulling off the cap with his teeth, and spitting it to the side.

Will twisted and writhed, shouting incomprehensible words as the needle pressed into his neck. The effect was instantaneous. A sluggish feeling spread throughout his veins, weakening him. Will fought it the best he could.

Will, lethargic, batted at Aker's beefy arm as it wrapped around his waist. Aker dragged Will out of the closet with Ari clinging to Will's legs.

"Up you get," Aker said as he forced Will onto his feet. Ari shimmied up, barnacling herself to Will's neck. "There's a good boy," Aker praised, hand on the back of Will's neck. "Out the door. We don't need to worry about locking up, do we?"

Aker half-dragged, half-guided Will and Ari to the staircase at the end of the hall. The door swung shut behind them just as the elevator dinged, Roman Brady walking off.

* * *

The walk to the parking garage was a blur. Will couldn't feel his legs. It took all his strength to hold onto Ari, terrified for her more than himself.

"Don't hurt her," Will slurred. "Don't."

"No one's getting hurt," Aker said as he opened a door leading to the parking garage. The car right next to the exit was running, ready for their escape. "In you go."

Aker shoved Will and Ari into the backseat. Will's head drooped against the window, hands fumbling at the handle.

"Ah, ah, ah," Aker scolded as he got into the driver's seat. "Child safety lock."

Will renewed his efforts, Ari's terrified mewls in his ear.

"Don't worry," Aker said. "No one's gonna hurt you. The boss wouldn't like it. Trust me. You'll be just fine in the end."

Will banged his hand against the glass. Hoping someone would see, hoping someone would stop them.

* * *

Will didn't know how long they drove or even in what direction. His eyes focused on the moving sky. It reminded him of the other day in the park. Gazing up at the clouds, seeing shapes.

 _Looks like a rhino,_ Will thought, mind hazy. _A big rhino, coming at me, charging._

The longer Will stared at it, the more realistic it appeared. There it was. A big fluffy cloud rhino with a great big horn. It was running at Will.

Will gasped, hand pressed flat against the glass. It was going to get them. Break right through the window.

Will shouted, flinging himself and Ari to the other side of the car, cowering.

"Yeah, that'll happen," Aker said as if answering a question no one asked. "Must have given you too much. Hope your mind's in a good place otherwise them hallucinations get scary. But don't worry. We're almost there."

Will closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Ari's. He could feel her tiny hand on his cheek, petting him.

"Daddy," Ari said, voice sounding so far away even though she was right next to Will. "Daddy?"

Will held her tighter, shivering.

* * *

Aker pulled into a garage and parked. The garage was small, old. Various boxes and paint cans lined the walls, a dusty bike shoved in the back.

"Time to get out," Aker declared, unlocking the door and yanking Will and Ari out.

Will stumbled, knee throbbing as he shuffled along.

Aker brought them to a house. An older but well-maintained home. Everything was polished yet had a nostalgic look about it. Walls separated every room with crown molding and hardwood floors permeating the space.

Will noticed but didn't see. He felt like he was in a daze. A relaxed state of mind that he couldn't break no matter how hard he tried.

Aker shoved Will onto a sofa in a small sitting room. A fire roared in front of him, warming them. A large bay window was the only source of light. The room was bathed in a pale blue from the drapes. Aker blocked the only exit.

Will licked his lips, smacking them together.

 _There's something I need to do. Something I have to try._

Will, head resting on the arm of the couch, Ari huddled against his chest, went in and out of lucidity. Days could have passed him by and he wouldn't have noticed. He kept his eyes shut tight. Every time he opened them he saw something he didn't want to see.

Sonny standing next to Paul, smiling at him with a smile that should have been Will's. Lucas staring at Will with that disappointed look in his eyes. Paul's face when he found out who was Will's husband. The last time he saw Ben, that day when Will waited for the cable man. The unknown of what could have been.

Will knew there was something wrong. Some danger lurking nearby but Will couldn't remember what. All he knew was to hold Ari tight and never let go.

Will didn't know how much time passed when he heard voices. He couldn't make them out, not yet, but they sounded familiar.

"What's wrong with him?" a voice asked, a man's voice.

"He locked himself in a closet," Aker answered. "Had to break down the door. Kind of ironic when you think about it."

"Yes," the other voice sniffed. "Hilarious. Why does he look like that?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" another voice answered, feminine and accented. "He drugged him."

Will, eyes closed, felt gentle hands touching the lids of his eyes. The hand forced his eyes open only to let them drop again.

"Look at his pupils," the woman sighed. "You gave him too much."

"I only used one syringe," Aker shrugged. "The cops were going to swarm the place soon. I had to think quick."

"You're lucky you didn't kill him," the woman scolded. In a softer, tone she said, "It's alright, sweetheart. Shh, your daddy is just fine."

Will grunted. He didn't know what was happening but he wasn't letting anyone near Ari, never Ari.

"You shouldn't lie to the girl," the other man said. "Let's get this over with quick. Aker, take care of him."

"I don't think so," the woman huffed. "You are not touching one hair on his pretty blonde head."

"And why the hell not?" the man challenged. "He's the reason we're in this mess. Working with Balewa. How the hell did we not know that?"

"Once again, your ineptitude has left you wanting," the woman stated. "That is not my problem. You are not hurting him."

Will, despite the deep funk he was in, somehow knew they were talking about him. Arguing over whether to kill him.

Will groaned, forcing himself to sit up. Ari's arms wrapped tighter around his neck, shaking.

"Get him downstairs," the woman ordered. "Now. I'll think of a way to salvage this."

Will tried to struggle when Aker grabbed him by the arm but he couldn't. Aker's large arms scooped Will and Ari up, taking them down into a basement.

Aker laid Will and Ari down on a musty couch, tossing an old blanket over them both to guard against the chilly air.

"Don't forget what I said," Aker patted Will on the arm. "The boss won't let anything happen to you."

* * *

Will came to, eyes fluttering, veins throbbing. It took him several minutes to remember what happened. Panicked, but with an unnatural sluggishness, Will sat up.

He was on a smelly couch in a cold, dark room. There were cinderblock walls around him and a damp, musky scent in the air. A basement with a small, old bathroom tucked away in the corner.

Fighting through the drugs working his system, Will wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"Ari," Will croaked as he held her close. His limbs felt heavy, almost as if he wasn't in charge of them.

"Daddy!" Ari cried.

"Daddy's here," Will slurred. "I've got you."

The two clung to each other in unadulterated relief.

"I love you," Will whispered over and over again, pressing small kisses to her skin. "I love you. I've got you."

"Scared," Ari whispered, trembling against Will.

Will could only imagine what his daughter went through seeing him the way he was. Will always woke when Ari cried or called. He couldn't imagine how terrified she must have been.

After settling Ari down a bit, Will tried to focus. It was hard. The drugs left him drowsy and too relaxed.

He remembered Aker coming through the door. The sound of wood splitting, Ari's shrieks in his ear. The strange visions he saw and the voices. Two familiar voices but he couldn't recall what they said or who the voices belong to.

 _I never should have gotten involved in this. I shouldn't have. God, I'm so stupid._

Before Will could berate himself anymore, his stomach let out a loud rumble. He was famished.

Assuming Frick wouldn't starve them to death, Will held hope that someone would be down for them soon.

 _Assuming_ , Will thought. _I've assumed enough with this stupid project._

To pass the time and to keep Ari calm, Will made up stories. He retold classic tales and even explained Harry Potter to her. But now, hours later, Will described his own fairytale, what he hoped and prayed would happen.

"And Daddy Sonny will run down the stairs, almost tripping because he was so worried about us. He'd take us both into his arms and smother us in kisses," Will rested his chin on top of Ari's head. "And Sonny will say how much he missed us and how he can't live without us anymore. He'll take us away from here and we'll get to have our happy ending."

As soon as he finished, Will's eyes strayed to the basement door. For a few moments, he thought the door would open. That his husband, face painted in worry, would rescue them.

It didn't happen.

The faint light in the basement was dwindling. The sun was setting. Before long, the entire basement would be pitch black.

"Hungy," Ari muttered, clutching Will's arm.

"I know, baby," Will whispered. "I know."

Silence rang throughout the space before Will heard muffled footsteps above.

"Shh," Will said to an already quiet Ari.

Will stood up, holding Ari close. He tried to figure out where the steps were. How many there were, anything that might help them out of this.

There were three sets of footsteps. One sounded light and airy, another thudding with each step. The last was the distinct sound of high heels ringing against a wooden floor.

Before Will had time to think, he heard a loud shriek. The thundering steps sounded once more. Will adjusted his hold on Ari when the basement door swung open.

Leon Aker, the bouncer at the strip club and the man who kidnapped them, charged down the steps. It took Will a few seconds to realize he was holding something over his shoulder, a human something.

Aker threw Amal Paracha's subdued form to the ground near.

"Here," Aker tossed a box of pizza and a case of bottled water next to Amal. He stomped up the stairs without another word. Will waited, ignoring Ari's struggles to break free and swarm the pizza.

Upstairs, Will could hear the sound of a door slamming shut and a car starting.

They were alone.

As soon as Will let Ari go, she ran for the pizza. Will wasn't sure if the pizza was safe but Ari was so hungry he didn't care. He watched her chew for a few moments before deciding it was safe.

Will kneeled in front of Amal Paracha's body. He rolled her onto her back and winced when he saw a big goose egg on the side of her temple. Her chest was rising and falling, though.

"Hey," Will shook her shoulder. He didn't know if he should let her rest or try to wake her up. "Miss Paracha? Amal? Wake up."

Amal didn't wake until an hour later. Will and Ari ate almost the entire pizza together. Under normal circumstances, Will would feel embarrassed but right now he didn't care.

Amal moaned, opening her eyes.

"Hey," Will placed Ari on the couch and grabbed a water bottle. "Are you okay?"

Amal sat up looking dazed. "Will? Will Horton? What happened?"

"I don't know," Will said. "Aker kidnapped me and my daughter. I think Frick's behind it. About an hour ago, Aker threw you down here too. Wherever here is."

Amal took a sip of the water and looked around. She let out a groan. "We're in my basement."

"Your basement?" Will frowned. His suspicious from the other day hit him. Was Amal behind all this? Was it a ploy to mess with his head?

"I was at work all day," Amal reached to pull off her high heels and tossed them aside. "I came home and a light was on in the dining room. I never go in there unless there's company. I walked inside and got clobbered in the side of the head."

"It must have been Aker," Will surmised. "But why would he hit you? And why your basement?"

"I don't know," Amal rubbed the side of her head with a wince. "What about you? Why would Frick kidnap you? How does he even know you at all? Aren't you from Salem?"

"Yeah," Will sighed. He looked into Amal's bright eyes. Eyes so like her son's. "It's a long story and most of it isn't even mine."

"I think we've got time," Amal gestured to their surroundings. "Explain it to me."

So, Will did. He told Amal everything he knew including his suspicions about her. He wrapped everything up as Ari nuzzled into his lap, fingers running through her hair.

Amal paced back and forth, hissing in Urdu under her breath. Another trait that reminded Will so much of Amir.

"Those idiots," Amal said as she paced. "Both of them, all of them! Frick for daring to hurt my son. Balewa for getting you involved without any cause. Amir for hiding this from me. Those idiots! When I get out of this, there is nowhere they'll be able to hide from me."

Will felt a bit of satisfaction that his instincts on her were right. Amal Paracha was the type to use men like Keith Frick as a chew toy.

"Now," Amal said to Will, "We need to-,"

"Shh!" Will cut her off. He could hear a car pulling into the drive. "Can you hear that?"

Amal stopped talking and listened.

They could hear two car doors closing as well as a pounding at the front door. Straining themselves, they heard, "Amal, it's Balewa. Are you home?"

"Oh my God," Will said. "We have to get his attention."

There was only one window in the basement that was not to code. It was much too high and too small to be a fire exit. But they had to try. Amal climbed onto Will's shoulders and banged on the window for all she was worth. She could see Balewa's shoes as well as someone else's, another officer.

No matter how hard they yelled, it didn't make a difference. Balewa got in the car and drove away.

"Now what?" Amal asked as she hobbled off Will's shoulders.

Will grabbed Ari and held her close again. "I don't know. I guess we wait."

Darkness surrounded them before Amal remembered something. "The electricity down here is shoddy. But there might be some flashlights somewhere."

The basement featured one large room and an old, gross bathroom. Will despised having to use it and was thankful Ari's diapers were extra absorbent. Besides the couch and a few scrunched up boxes, he didn't see anything useful.

Amal got up and went exploring. "Amir would never go down here as a child. It gave him nightmares. He made me put a few flashlights down here just in case. I'll have to thank him when we get out of here. Aha!"

Will smiled when Amal brandished a flashlight.

"'Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on a light'," Amal stated as she turned on the flashlight.

"You like Harry Potter?" Will questioned.

"Is that what it's from?" Amal wondered. She sat down next to Will and Ari. "It's tattooed on Amir's back."

"Oh," Will smiled for a moment. "Too bad you didn't remember the flashlight before Balewa came by."

"Yeah," Amal nodded. "Too bad."

* * *

The three fell into an uneasy rest. The basement was cold and there was only one blanket.

 _Being a gentleman sucks_ , Will thought as he shivered on the cement floor. He insisted that Amal and Ari sleep on the couch. Will was glad his daughter was warm but it didn't help him out any. All he had was his long-sleeve shirt. _If I get out of this, I'm gonna get sick._

Will woke with every strange sound or creak. The house was old, so there were plenty of noises to keep him up. Boiling over with nerves and fear, terrified for himself and Ari, Will couldn't rest.

Despite his fear, Will must have drifted off sometime. He woke up in a scramble when the basement door slammed open.

The basement was still dark, the sun just starting to rise.

Will grabbed Ari. Before he had time to react, Amal stepped in front of them, shielding Ari from sight.

Aker stomped down the stairs and gave a peculiar smile to Amal. "Come on," he reached forward and snatched Amal's arm.

When Will made to follow, Aker pointed one finger at him. "Not you. You stay."

Amal looked over at Will and gave him a comforting smile. Nodding back, Will and Ari remained behind.

Will didn't know what was happening upstairs but he worried. Maybe it was going through a harrowing experience together but Will felt closer to Amal somehow. He felt like he knew her. Will would hate for something to happen to Amal now.

Whatever was happening, Will couldn't hear. He supposed that must have been a good thing. He couldn't hear any screams or noise of any kind.

Still, it was unnerving being alone again. Alone with his impressionable daughter that shouldn't have been in this situation at all.

 _This is all my fault,_ Will knew _. I did this. And if something happens to Ari or Amal, I'll never forgive myself._

In no time at all, the basement door opened again. Aker came down the stairs and said, "Stand up."

Will shook his head but it wasn't like he could give much of a fight with Ari around. He had to keep her safe.

Aker sighed. For a brief moment, Will almost felt bad for him. The man looked like he was under a lot of stress.

"You know," Aker cleared his throat, pulling something out from his jacket. "I didn't want to do this, any of this. But, oh well."

Before Will could react, Aker jabbed him in the arm with another syringe. It wasn't as strong as before but Will could feel something swirling through his veins.

"Come on," Aker said, helping Will stand up. He waited for Will to pick up Ari before grabbing Will's arm.

Aker led them up the stairs, dragging Will to a small sitting room. Every room in the house separated with walls, nothing open. Limited chances of escape.

Will, cradling Ari in his arms, stumbled to a stop in front of Keith Frick. Frick sat in an armchair in front of a fireplace with a sour look on his face. Amal was on a couch opposite him, glaring at Frick.

Will tried to find a way out of this. Tried to find a means of escape or a weapon. There wasn't much he could risk with Ari but he had to try. Even drugged, Frick was out of his mind if he thought Will Horton was going down without a fight.

* * *

Author's note:

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

Will eased onto a couch hyper aware of everyone in the room. Leon Aker stood behind him with his arms crossed blocking Will's only path out of the room. Keith Frick, petulant look on his face, sat in an armchair across from Will. All while Amal Paracha threw mutinous glares at Frick beside Will.

As Will sat down, he could feel the drugs working through him. A preternatural relaxation enveloping him; Will tightened his hold on Ari in alarm.

"You idiot!" Amal shouted over the small crackle and pops of the fireplace. "Don't you ever think?"

"Yes, woman," Frick sneered. "I know how to think."

Amal's eyes snapped to Frick's face so fast Will thought she must have gotten a crick in her neck. "What did you just call me?"

As Amal stood up and took a step towards Frick, the man shifted in his seat. Will didn't blame him. He wouldn't want Amal's black eyes blazing at him either.

"I know what I'm doing," Frick insisted, ignoring her question. "It's the only way. He knows too much," Frick pointed at Will.

"Knows too much?" Amal repeated with a grim look on her face. "You kidnapped that poor boy and his daughter because he knows too much. Look at him! Look at her! What the hell are you even thinking?"

Frick gave Amal a withering glare and glanced at Aker out of the corner of his eye.

"Relying on your muscle to do your dirty work?" Amal sneered. "Why doesn't that surprise me? I bet that's why you didn't kill those men yourself, isn't it? You were always too much of a coward."

Will didn't know what Amal was doing. Agitating Frick when they were the ones kidnapped didn't seem like such a good plan.

Frick scoffed. "I'm the coward? Please, woman. The only reason any of you are alive right now is because I allow it."

Amal took a few more steps toward Frick and slapped him clear across the face.

Will winced as the sound echoed throughout the room. He kept Ari's face pressed against his neck, hands over her ears.

Aker stepped forward, pulling Amal off of Frick when she motioned to strike him again. Amal didn't go without a fight. She put up quite the struggle until Aker subdued her and forced her next to Will.

Will said nothing, just took in the scene with observant eyes. He didn't think there was any way out of this. Frick was right. Will knew too much.

"That was a mistake," Frick hissed as he stood up. Will thought he looked ridiculous with a red handprint on his face.

Amal and Frick exchanged insults as Will's eyes began to droop. It was getting harder and harder for Will to concentrate.

When Will opened his eyes next, Frick was staring right at him.

"As I'm sure you're aware," Frick crossed his arms and leered at Will, "The police are looking for you, beautiful."

Will did his best not to react to the pet name.

"We heard," Amal interrupted. "Balewa was here, looking for me."

"Oh, he must have noticed you were gone too," Frick smiled. "That'll make things easier. But," Frick glanced at Will again. "Nothing was as easy as manipulating you."

Will swallowed, keeping Ari pressed against him.

"You just believe anything you're told, don't you?" Frick tilted his head. "It is a shame. You were a good dancer."

"Why did you hire me?" Will couldn't stop himself from asking, voice slurred. "If you knew who I was, why let me stay?"

"I needed you," Frick gave Will a sharp smile. "Insurance, remember? Amir needed a reminder."

"Why?" Will asked. "Why are you doing this? Why Amir? Why me?"

Frick spat out a laugh. "Do you think I'm going to spill it all to you?"

"Why did you send Amir to California? Why that movie?" Will demanded. "Why?"

"Why does anyone do anything?" Frick shrugged with a teasing smirk.

"How could you let three innocent people die? How could-?" Will tried.

"Innocent?" Frick snorted. "Did you know Mark Boltz used to make Amir's life miserable in high school? Not just his either, anyone, male or female, that wasn't straight. Was he innocent when he terrified every queer kid in town?"

Will blinked. His mind went to the downtrodden widow he met a few days ago. The one that told him her husband didn't support gay rights.

 _He bullied Amir? Is that why he's dead, revenge? But what does that have to do with Frick?_

"I don't understand," Will admitted.

"No, I don't suppose you ever will, either," Frick stated. "None of those men were innocent. Boltz spent his free time using queers as a punching bag. But he had the nerve to show up in my club looking for work. And Jacob Stevens? He married his pretty little high school sweetheart and had two pretty little babies. But he never bothered to tell his wife he spent his evenings on his knees on the bathroom floor at my club. That he wasted all their hard earned money on my strippers. And Gregory Leighton? He thought he could hang out at the local playground and no one would notice it wasn't the scenery he was admiring.

"No," Frick said, "None of them were innocent. But they all came to me. Thought I would take away their money problems with a wave of my hand. They had to earn their keep. And I'd say the world is better off without them."

Will sat in stunned silence, forcing his eyes to stay open.

"I will admit," Frick said with a wave of his hand, "That it was an accident at first. Leighton needed to sell the drugs, not take them. Idiot killed himself. But we all saw the opportunity for what it was."

Will didn't know what to think. None of it went along with what the police thought, what he thought.

"You look surprised?" Frick noted with a hint of glee.

"I thought you just killed them because they knew too much," Will admitted in a low voice.

Frick snorted again, looking towards Amal. "You're happy they're dead. Aren't you?"

Amal, Will realized, had been quiet throughout Frick's explanations. Will glanced at her, startled by the look on her face. He couldn't make sense of it.

"I'll admit, finding out Boltz was dead did give me a certain sense of satisfaction," Amal said in an off-hand manner. "After the way he tormented my little Amir. I hardly approve of the manner in which it occurred, though."

"Sure," Frick said with a smirk.

Will said nothing. There wasn't anything for him to say.

"Now," Frick tapped his finger against his chin. "What to do with you?"

"Getting rid of Will won't make your case disappear," Amal told Frick. "Balewa won't stop until he finds you. Besides, getting rid of him would displease my son."

"Oh, no," Frick rolled his eyes. "We can't have that, can we?"

"No," Amal stated staring straight at Frick. " _We_ can't."

Will didn't know what he was looking at but he felt like the two were sharing something important. That Amal and Frick were coming to an understanding that was beyond him. That Amal's words had a hidden meaning Will couldn't decipher.

"That doesn't leave me with many options. Hmm," Frick slinked over to the couch. Frick reached his hand out and touched a lock of Ari's hair.

Will yanked Ari closer against him as he moved over on the couch. "Don't touch her!"

"Aw," Frick smiled in mock triumph. "I do believe I've found my way to keep you complacent, beautiful."

"What are you talking about?" Will whispered. He could feel Ari shaking in his arms.

"He's going to let you go," Amal said as she stood up to stand beside Frick. "Aren't you?"

Will's eyes switched between the two of them at a rapid pace. It made him feel dizzy.

Amal lifted one eyebrow up as she twisted a ring Will didn't pay much attention to when they were in the basement. Whatever was on the ring must have startled Frick because he jumped away from Amal.

Amal turned to face Will and smiled. "You're going to run to our dear friend, Detective Balewa, and tell him Frick kidnapped you. You're going to tell him how and why. You're even going to tell him where he kept you. And how poor, innocent Amal Paracha was a hostage beside you."

"I-," Will didn't understand.

"You will keep this conversation a secret," Amal insisted. She sat next to Will on the sofa. She scooted closer and closer to Will until he pressed against the arm of the couch. "I'll know if you didn't. I don't have to tell you what you'll lose if you disobey me."

Amal's dark eyes flashed toward Ari and Will cringed.

"What are you saying?" Will asked. "Are you apart of this? Are you-?"

"Wait a minute," Frick got over whatever frightened him. He towered over Amal, Will, and Ari. "You expect me to go along with this? For you to sell me out?"

"Yes," Amal answered without taking her eyes off of Will.

"You are out of your fuc-" Frick's voice cut off as the front door opened.

"Ammi?" Amir yelled as he tossed his keys in a bowl near the front door. "Ammi, I need your help. Will and Ari are missing. I don't care what his idiot husband says, I know Will wouldn't run away."

Amir's voice got closer and closer before he walked into the sitting room. His jacket was half-way off before he looked up from his phone. Amir's jaw fell open as his eyes ran over the face of everyone in the room.

"Ammi? Will? What-?" Amir drew himself up, setting his jaw. "What the hell are you doing?" Amir glared at Frick.

"What?" Frick's forehead wrinkled.

"Did you kidnap Will and Ari?" Amir hissed. "And in my mother's house! What the hell are you doing?"

"What?" Frick questioned. "You have this all wrong, like usual, kid. You know I-,"

"You monster!" Amir yelled, shoving a surprised Aker out of his way. Amir stood in front of the sofa, blocking Frick from getting any closer. "They didn't do anything to you. How could you?"

Frick looked between Amir and everyone on the couch. He took a step back and pointed at Amir. "No, no this isn't my fault."

"Not your fault?" Amir shouted. "You're holding them hostage!"

"No!" Frick countered.

"What were you going to do?" Amir screamed. "Kill them too? My mother doesn't even know anything."

"Your mother is the entire reason I'm here," Frick shook his head. "It was all her idea. All of it."

"What?" Amir gave out a short laugh. "You expect me to believe that? When I've spent years with you blackmailing me, threatening me, ordering me around. With you sending me pictures of my mother with bullseyes on her face. You ruined my life! And you're trying to blame my mother?"

"You don't understand what you're talking about, son," Frick growled.

"I am not your son," Amir barred his teeth. "And I am not letting you get away with this."

Frick ran a hand through his hair before throwing his head back and shouting. "I am done with this ridiculous family. You aren't putting the blame on me, woman," Frick glared at Amal. "I'm not going down for this and you can't hold me back anymore."

Frick made a step toward the exit when Amir blocked his path.

"Get out of the way," Frick ordered.

"No," Amir held his head high. He was much shorter and skinnier than Frick. Will didn't like his chances. "You have run my life for almost a decade. Well, no longer."

"Stop lying to yourself," Frick sighed. "Now, move."

"No," Amir shoved Frick when he tried to take a step. "I'm done following your orders. I'm done with you threatening the people I love."

Aker looked between Frick and Amal on the sofa. He stayed put.

"This is ridiculous," Frick growled before punching Amir in the face.

Will couldn't help the gasp he let out, holding Ari tighter.

Amir threw a punch at Frick next. The two becoming a tangle of fists and arms. Amal, in a panic, screamed out words Will couldn't understand.

Will wondered if he could use the distraction as an escape. Leave all this behind and never worry again.

Taking his chances, Will stood up. He stumbled to edge out of the room when Aker put a large hand on Will's shoulder, keeping him in place. Will, woozy, leaned against Aker to stay up.

"No," Aker said. "Stay."

Will glanced at Amir and Frick again. As Will feared, Frick had the upper hand. He straddled Amir's waist, landing hit after hit to Amir's face.

Amal let out a shriek of rage before throwing herself on top of Frick. The two landed in a heap next to the fireplace.

Will held his breath at what happened next. Amal's hand closed around a fire poker and swung it up in the air. Before it made contact, Frick caught it. Stronger than Amal, Frick ripped the fire poker out of her grip.

Will closed his eyes, hands over Ari's ears as the fire poker made contact. A sick, wet crunching noise filled the space.

Amir, panting on the floor, caught a second wind seeing Frick bludgeoning his mother. With a shout, Amir jumped at Frick again. Swinging and hitting for all he was worth.

Will didn't know what happened next in all the confusion. One second he was humming as loud as he could, desperate to block the noise from reaching Ari's ears. The next, several familiar faces barged into the room. Doors kicked in, windows shattered. The Fairfield and Salem police departments flooded the room.

Aker held Will and Ari in front of him as a human shield. Officers Ramirez and Washington lowered their weapons. They couldn't point them at Will or Ari.

"Get out of my way," Aker threatened, stepping backward. He wrapped a beefy arm around Will's throat, dragging him and Ari along.

Aker didn't make it far, only three steps. Roman Brady, Will's grandfather and head of the Salem PD, shoved a gun in the back of Aker's skull.

"Let go of my grandson," Roman threatened.

Ramirez rushed forward and grabbed Will and Ari. He pulled them out of the house and toward safety. The last thing Will saw was Detective Balewa prying Amir off of Frick's passed out body.

"It's okay," Ramirez promised Will. He half dragged, half carried Will and Ari. Lowering them onto a patio chair outside the home's entrance, Ramirez said, "It's okay."

"How-how did you find us?" Will questioned, petting his hands all over Ari. Whispering in her ear that everything would be okay now.

"We followed Paracha," Ramirez explained. "We thought he might have known where Frick went. We weren't sure if we had probable cause to enter. But when we heard Amir shouting, we recognized Frick's voice."

Ramirez continued talking but Will tuned him out. Will wanted to get Ari as far away from this mess as possible.

"Hey, it's alright," Ramirez squatted in front of Will and touched his cheek. "Don't cry, it's over now."

Will didn't even realize it but Ramirez was right. He was crying, letting out loud sobs that Ari matched. She didn't have to be brave now either.

"This is all my fault," Will sobbed. "I didn't listen and she could have, I could have, oh God!"

"It's not your fault," Ramirez tried. "It isn't. We should never have gotten you involved. I think if we would have just left you alone, this never would have happened."

A loud commotion sounded behind them. Roman escorted Aker out in handcuffs. Rafe Hernandez and Hope Jennings dragged a semi-conscious Frick out. An ambulance pulled into the driveway and rushed inside.

Will watched as paramedics stretchered Amal Paracha out and into the ambulance. He didn't know what to think about Amal. Those last few minutes confused Will so bad. What scared Frick so bad that he backed off? Why did Frick tell Amir everything was Amal's fault? Will didn't know what to believe.

When Amal rolled passed, she looked deathly pale and bloodied.

 _If she dies, will we ever know the truth?_ Ashamed he could feel so callous, Will turned away from the sight.

Before Will could say anything, Ramirez got pushed to the side. A warm, trembling body surrounded Will and Ari.

"Are you okay?" Amir questioned. His voice sounded off due to the swelling in his cheeks.

Will nodded, clinging to him. Even Ari's sobs subsided in order to hold tight to Amir's arm. Will didn't know how long the three of them sat there holding onto each other. He just closed his eyes and cried again. A mix of terror and relief swirling around him.

* * *

Will sat in a hospital bed. His grandfather insisted that he and Ari get checked out. Fairfield only had a medical clinic, not a full hospital. So, they all went to Salem.

Ari, while in shock and terrified, was fine. She clung to Will but, with some hope, there might not be any lasting effects.

Kayla Brady, Will's aunt, insisted they stay overnight. She wanted to monitor Will and make sure he didn't have any adverse reactions to the ketamine Aker doused him with. She pulled a few strings and let Will and Ari stay in a private room together.

In the chaos, no one had alerted Will's family yet to what happened. Officer Ramirez stood guard outside of Will's room while Amir paced back and forth in front of the bed.

"What if she doesn't make it?" Amir asked in a quiet whisper.

Will didn't know what to say. How could Will tell Amir that he suspected his mother involvement in all this?

 _Do I know that, though? Maybe I misinterpreted what happened. Maybe it was all a coincidence. I got drugged. Maybe I imagined it all. Do I know anything for sure?_

Deciding to think about it later, Will said, "You have to hold out hope."

"I'm trying," Amir said. "There was so much blood."

"Don't think about that," Will pleaded, glad Ari was fast asleep in his arms. "Please."

Amir nodded, pausing his pacing. He plopped down in a chair next to Will's bed, leg bouncing up and down.

"I was so scared, you know?" Amir told Will. "You didn't answer your phone and after what happened in the club I got worried. I drove to Salem and your stupid husband wasn't any help. Kept saying how you ran off but I knew the truth. I knew you wouldn't do that, not after everything."

"What?" Will blinked. He remembered calling Sonny. How the phone rang only a few times before going to voicemail. Sonny dismissed the call, dismissed Will.

 _We could have gotten rescued sooner if Sonny had answered. All I wanted was to hear Sonny's voice and he hung up on me. He thought I ran away and someone took me, took us and Sonny didn't care. He didn't care._

 _Sonny doesn't care._

"I had to find you," Amir continued. "I drove back to Ammi's house and you were there and now, now she might be dead and I-I don't know what to do."

Will looked up at Amir's bruised face. He had a split lip and the left side was a mess of mottled bruises and swelling. Will didn't see all that. All Will saw was a man that cared. That's all Amir had ever done, cared about Will. When everyone else dismissed Will, Amir didn't. Even after a full year without contact, Amir still cared.

Will didn't think about what he was doing. He rolled Ari out of his arms and onto the pillows. Throwing his legs over the bed, Will stood up.

Will didn't think, didn't breathe. He dropped to his knees in front of Amir and pulled him into a kiss.

* * *

Author's note:

Will Horton, back to making terrible decisions in the heat of the moment.

Thanks for reading!

Also, several reviews haven't posted yet. When they do, I'll respond to them as usual.


	12. Chapter 12

Will, careful not to disturb Ari, slid out of his hospital bed. He dropped to his knees in front of Amir. Not wanting to hurt the already mangled face, Will brushed his thumb against Amir's cheekbone.

Without thinking, without caring about the consequences, Will pulled Amir into a soft kiss.

Will sighed as Amir's facial hair tickled his upper lip. Amir's lips were soft and sweet, trembling against his own. Before Will could move away, Amir's hand cupped the back of his neck to hold him in place.

Amir deepened the kiss, overwhelming Will with its intensity.

Coming up for air, Will breathed against Amir's lips, noses brushing.

"I've wanted to do that from the moment I first looked at you," Amir confessed in a light voice.

Will nodded before kissing him again. His lips parted as the tip of Amir's tongue pressed against them. Caught up in the moment, Will almost didn't hear the door opening.

"Hem hem," Ramirez cleared his throat. With a sour look on his face, he said, "There are some people here to see you, Will." Ramirez emphasized Will's name.

With pink, flushed cheeks, Will nodded. He put the back of his hand over his mouth and nodded. "Right, thanks."

"What's his problem?" Amir asked as he helped Will stand up. The split in Amir's lip started to bleed again but he couldn't stop smiling.

"Um, I think he might like me," Will said with a shrug. "Or, at least, he asked me out once."

Will almost smiled when he saw Amir pouting. He knew he shouldn't have kissed Amir but tried not to think about it. It was easier that way. He had done enough thinking to last him a lifetime.

The door burst open, bouncing off the wall behind it.

"Will!" Lucas shouted with a panic Will had heard only a few times.

Ari, startling awake, sat up and held her arms out for Will. Will sat on the bed again and pulled her into his arms.

"Shh, it's alright," Will whispered, kissing over the shell of her ear.

"My boy!" Lucas rushed at Will, drawing him into a deep hug.

"It's alright, Dad," Will said, leaning into Lucas' arms. "We're fine."

Lucas kissed the top of Ari's head over and over but didn't try to prize her from Will's arms.

"What the hell happened, Will?" Lucas demanded, holding Will at arms-length. "You got kidnapped?"

"Yeah," Will nodded. It was then that he noticed someone else in the room, Sonny.

Besides setting his jaw, Will gave no indication he saw his husband.

"You didn't notice your busted door?" Will gave his father a reproachful look.

"I didn't go home last night," Lucas admitted with a pink rosiness to his cheeks. "Sonny said he was going to talk to you and I wanted to give you privacy. I didn't know what happened because I turned my phone off."

Will, grossed out by the implication, frowned. It still didn't explain why Sonny thought Will ran away. How could a condo filled with policemen and a broken door lead to running away?

"Will," Lucas sighed. "Are you alright? Who-what-why? I don't understand."

Will didn't know where to begin. There was so much he hadn't told Lucas, hadn't told Sonny.

"I told you I was helping the Fairfield police," Will said. "I just, I didn't listen and got in too deep."

"That isn't true," Amir interrupted. He kept his eyes on Will. "It wasn't your fault. It was mine."

"Yours?" Sonny whispered, stepping closer.

Ignoring Sonny, Amir said, "They lured Will into this because of me."

"What about you?" Lucas frowned, turning to stare at Amir.

"I-I got caught up in something in childhood and it all got out of hand," Amir didn't know how to explain it all either. "They wanted to use Will and Ari to hurt me."

"How would that hurt you?" Sonny glared.

Amir glared right back. "Unlike you, I actually care about them."

Sonny opened his mouth to retort when another voice cleared near the door. Detective Balewa and Roman walked inside.

"I think I should be the one to explain everything," Balewa offered. "It was my idea after all. I take full responsibility."

Amir's forehead crinkled. "What are you talking about? It's not your fault. It's mine."

"No," Balewa sighed. "Frick wanted to lure Will there but I was the one that insisted. I asked Will to go undercover on the police's behalf."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Will said, giving Amir a sad smile, noting his surprise. "I just, I wasn't sure who to trust."

After a few moments, Amir nodded, recovering from his shock.

With Amir and Will filling in the blanks, Balewa told the entire tale. How they found an article of Will's on three dead bodies. How he spoke to Roman, asking for permission to speak to Will. How he convinced Will to help them, even going so far as to bring in one of the widows to appeal to him. Strapping Will with wires and surveillance equipment. Letting him put on the shorts and the wings. Will tracking down the supply of drugs and sending the info to Balewa.

Will explained the call from Balewa. Getting distracted after Ari's tumble. The drugs. Waking in a basement with Ari. Amal arriving several hours after. Frick explaining why he killed three men. How Will witnessed Amal and Frick argue, that they said and did a lot of things Will didn't understand. Amir rushing in and rescuing them. Now they were here, waiting for word on Amal and for Will and Ari to rest.

"That's why you were at the club?" Lucas asked Will. "To help find a murderer?"

"Yes," Will said, head resting on the top of Ari's sleeping head.

"Not to, not because you wanted to, you know?" Lucas gave Will an apologetic look.

"No, Dad," Will tried his hardest not to roll his eyes. "It was not my life's ambition to become a stripper. Although, I was quite popular."

"You weren't a stripper," Amir interjected. "You were a dancer."

"What? You watched?" Sonny glared again.

Back to glaring at Sonny, Amir said, "If any of you had bothered to ask that night, Will could have told you the truth. But you didn't. You wanted to think the worst of him and wouldn't listen to reason."

"The police and Amir told me to stay away from the club," Will sighed. "And I didn't listen because I can't seem to help myself from making terrible decisions. Amir saw me and scolded me. That's all you saw."

"Will," Sonny opened and closed his mouth several times. He didn't know what to say.

"Don't," Will looked at his husband for the first time. "Just don't."

"But I-," Sonny tried.

"I don't want to talk to you," Will said.

"Sonny, enough," Lucas declared with a dangerous look on his face.

Sonny bowed his head and nodded.

Balewa continued with his explanations, getting into the technical aspects of the job with Roman and Lucas.

Will realized how stupid it all sounded. Why did he go back to that place when he could have sent in the police? There would have been enough for at least a search warrant.

 _But I have to stick my nose where it doesn't belong and get in over my head, don't I? Well, not anymore. Now, I'm going to stay out of it._

Before Will knew it, Balewa and Roman left. Encased in an awkward silence and too many stares, Will sighed.

"I'm hungry," Will announced. "And Ari needs to eat when she gets up."

Amir rose to his feet, wringing his bandaged hands together. "I'll get something. I need to see if there's news on my ammi yet anyway. Excuse me."

"Thanks," Will said with a hint of a smile.

As soon as Amir left, door closing behind him, Will sighed again. He knew he'd have to suffer through questions he didn't want to answer.

"You met him in California?" Lucas asked, confirming Will's fears.

"Yes," Will said, refusing to look at either his father or his husband.

"That's, he's-he's the writer you knew," Lucas said, glancing at Sonny out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, although, he's not a writer after all," Will answered. "Frick forced him to pretend he was one."

"The one that you-that-um- the one you-you know," Lucas didn't know how to say anything without offending Will.

"You're asking if I slept with him?" Will lifted one brow. "No, no, I didn't."

"But you said-," Sonny tried to say.

"No, I didn't say," Will argued. "You asked if I cheated on you before and I said it only happened once. It only happened with Paul once but you never listen to anything I say anymore. You hear what you want to hear."

"But you never, you never corrected me!" Sonny yelled. "You let me think that you-!"

"I didn't let you think anything," Will cut off. "It didn't matter what I said, you wouldn't have believed me. And Amir? Were we friends? Yes. Did we share intimate moments? Yes, but none of them sexual. We were close. I could tell him anything."

Sonny's mouth opened and closed several times. "That's-that's why you reacted to Paul. That's why you went so far. You knew what I was feeling."

"Yes," Will sighed once more. He didn't know how many times he'd done that during the conversation. It felt like the only response he had. Just a great big sigh was all he could emit that showed his feelings.

"But," Sonny shook his head and licked his lips. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you call me after I left?"

"I called you every day," Will spat. "I sat at home and waited. I waited even when that home was taken away. I waited for you to do something to acknowledge me and you didn't care about anything to do with me. What more do you want from me?"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Sonny threw up his hands in frustration. "You're the one that never called me. You didn't answer any of my messages or any emails."

"You didn't send any!" Will shouted, causing Ari to stir.

Lucas, realizing this was something private, helped ease Ari out of Will's hold. The two went out to the waiting room with more of Will's friends and family out there awaiting news.

"Yes, Will, I did," Sonny insisted, continuing the argument. "I called and called. God, did you just ignore the stuff for your birthday?"

"What stuff?" Will stared. "What are you talking about?"

"I sent you a plane ticket online," Sonny said, drawing his lower lip into his mouth. "I had it all arranged. We were," Sonny lowered his head, "We were gonna spend your birthday together. Only, you never showed up."

"What?" Will whispered.

"I was waiting for you and you didn't come and I thought-," Sonny paused. "I thought that meant you didn't want to be with me anymore."

"I didn't get anything," Will said. "You didn't send anything. You didn't. It was only Mom and Dad and Austin and Amir. You didn't remember. You didn't."

"Yes, I did," Sonny said stepping closer. "Will, I did. I wouldn't forget you. I'd never forget you."

It was everything Will longed to hear. He just didn't believe it.

Will shook his head. "You ignored me for months just like you did when I was in California. I'd call and you'd never answer. You forgot about me and Ari. You did. You left us and you took all the money. You spent it on clubs and restaurants and trips and Ari and I had nothing."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sonny pleaded. "I didn't take any money."

"Right," Will scoffed. "That's why Ari and I got evicted. And that's why I danced on a stage in my underwear. What do you take me for?"

"Will, I promise!" Sonny implored.

"I don't believe you," Will said with a shake of his head. "I saw you yesterday night. You took one look at me and you hated what you saw. If you wanted me, you would have come back. You would have come to see why I didn't show up for this alleged trip. But you didn't. You stayed away. And you only came back because Paul told you to. So, don't stand there and act like you care about me at all."

"I had to come back," Sonny said. "All I knew was you were doing something dangerous. And how would you have reacted if it was me? If you saw me in that place, dressed like that, in someone else's arms?"

"Oh, like you care how I dressed," Will sneered.

"Do you think I want anyone to see my husband dressed like that? To see that much of his skin? Because I don't," Sonny hissed. "You're my husband, mine! I'm the only one that should see that. Oh, but wait, I forgot. Paul's seen you like that before."

Will glared at Sonny. "And what are you referring to, hmm? When he watched me at the club and didn't bother to come up to me until it was convenient for him? Or when he fucked me?"

Sonny flinched at Will's crude words.

"What?" Will said. "You don't like the reminder that your precious, perfect Paul isn't as devoted to you as you think? Or do you like to pretend that I slept with someone else? Does that make you feel better about wanting to jump Paul's bones?"

"Would you stop it?" Sonny said. "I know who you cheated on me with. You're the one that cheated, remember?"

"Does that make you feel like you're superior? That I slept with someone else. Whereas you, you spent years coveting Paul, running to him every chance you got when he was back in your life. But yeah, go ahead, blame me for everything," Will said. "Just like you always do."

"That's because you make it so easy," Sonny spat.

Will looked at Sonny. Looked at him properly for the first time in months. Will didn't recognize this man, didn't know him. This wasn't his husband.

"Get out," Will said, turning away. "Go."

"No," Sonny sighed. "I shouldn't have said that. I was just upset. Will, talk to me, please. The way we used to talk."

Will shook his head. "I don't know you anymore and you don't know me. We're not the same people."

"I-no," Sonny said. "I don't believe that. We're different but I still love you."

"I don't believe you," Will answered. "Get out."

"Will-," Sonny stepped forward, hand outstretched.

"No!" Will yelled. "Get out!"

Sonny sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not giving up. I refuse to."

Will didn't look but he heard as the door opened and closed. He sat by himself in silence, trying not to think of anything at all.

Sonny was a liar. He had to be.

 _Knock Knock_

"Hey," Amir said as he walked inside with some food for Will. "I left Ari's with your dad. Um, I can go if you want."

"Any word on your mom?" Will asked as he took the food and drink offered to him.

"No, nothing," Amir frowned. When Will didn't tell him to leave, Amir sat in his vacated chair. "I told them I'd be here, the doctors, when they found something out. But, like I said, I can go."

"No," Will whispered. "I want you to stay."

For some reason, it felt like Amir was the only one he could trust now.

* * *

Author's note:

Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

Will sat through several visitors during his short hospital stay. His grandmothers Marlena and Kate came to see him. Even a contrite-looking John expressed his concerns. Aunt Jennifer and JJ came by for a short while, surprising Will. Eric, Brady, and even Theresa visited with baby Tate. Most shocking of all was Chad and Abigail. As far as Will knew, the two were recluses now, having not seen them in some time. Who knew all it took was an old-fashioned kidnapping to get them out of their little protective bubble.

Several others came as well. Will was certain he saw Adrienne and Justin in the waiting room. But they must have been there for Sonny, not him. Will refused to see Sonny after he kicked him out. Will didn't have anything to say to Sonny, not right now.

Throughout all the visits, Amir stayed by Will's side. Will didn't care what everyone else thought. Amir was the one person, besides Ari, that had been there for Will when he needed someone most. Besides, Ari liked having Amir around too.

"The end," Amir closed _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ when he realized Ari was fast asleep.

"You're good at that," Will noted. "Getting Ari to fall asleep."

"I just read," Amir shrugged. "Maybe she thinks my voice is boring."

"I doubt it," Will gave a small smile. "Thanks for getting her down for a nap."

There had been no word on Amal yet. They rushed her into surgery the moment she arrived at the hospital. That was hours ago.

"I don't know if I said it earlier," Will turned to face Amir while reclined on his hospital bed. "Thank you."

"For what?" Amir asked.

"For rescuing us," Will said. "For believing there was something wrong. For, I don't know, caring."

"It's not that hard to care for you," Amir admitted. "It's sort of impossible not to, at least for me. But, you're welcome. I just wish I had come by sooner. I might have been able to…"

Will chewed on his lower lip. He ought to tell Amir about the strange scene he witnessed between Frick and Amal. He owed it to Amir.

"I saw something," Will told Amir. He said it fast so that he wouldn't have time to back out. "Something between your mom and Frick."

"My mom and Frick?" Amir tilted his head. "I thought you told me everything, told Balewa everything."

"I did," Will nodded. "It's just, there was a moment, but, I mean, I might have misinterpreted it. I was drugged after all."

"What moment?" Amir focused on Will, face swollen and bruised.

"Your mom stood up to Frick," Will said as Amir nodded. "And she kind of looked at him. I mean, it sounds dumb when I say it out loud. But she looked at him and twisted this ring she wore. Frick backed off after that. He looked terrified."

Amir stared at Will for a moment. "A ring?"

"She went like this," Will demonstrated with his wedding ring. "And Frick seemed horrified."

"Oh," Amir blinked a few times. "That's weird. My mom wears a lot of rings but I don't know of any that could do that."

"There's something else," Will realized. "Frick kept talking about getting rid of me, dealing with me. He never said anything like that about your mom. Now that I think about it, your mom always argued with him then. Telling him he couldn't get rid of me," Will glanced at Amir for a brief moment before looking away, "Because it would upset you."

"That's one way of putting it," Amir said without gumption.

Will, thinking back to their kiss, covered his mouth with his hand. "When she gets out of surgery, and we know she's okay, we can check her stuff. They put all your belongings in a bag. See if she has a ring in there."

"We?" Amir questioned.

"Huh?" Will asked.

"You said we," Amir smiled. "That we'd check."

"Oh, well," Will looked down. It was nearing dinner time and Ari was fast asleep. "Yeah, we."

Amir's lips quirked before falling. "I just hope I get some news about my ammi soon," Amir said. He tongued the split in his lip and winced.

"What does that mean? You keep saying it," Will pointed out.

"Ammi? It just means mom. I called her that when I was younger. Not as much when I got older but I must have picked it up again," Amir realized.

Will nodded before looking away. He didn't know where he stood with Amir. He didn't know what was going to happen. There was a lot about the situation he didn't understand. Questions he needed answers to.

"Why did Frick care about my mom's movie?" Will asked out loud.

"What was that?" Amir said.

"Frick, why did he care about my mom's movie? Why did he send you to California?" Will said. "It just doesn't make sense."

"You're right," Amir agreed. "We never found out. And you know what else doesn't make sense?"

"What?" Will wondered.

"That Paul guy, he saw you at the club," Amir said. "But why was he there?"

"Well," Will furrowed his brows, concentrating. "Paul's gay. Maybe he wanted to unwind?"

"In a town an hour away from Salem?" Amir pointed out. "How would he even know about that specific club? Aren't there gay clubs in Salem?"

"Not strip joints," Will said. "Or, at least, none that I know of."

"So, again, why was he there?" Amir said. "If he's some big, famous celebrity, why would he need to look at strippers?"

Will thought for a moment. Something niggled at the back of his mind, like an itch he couldn't scratch. "Paul said something to me."

"What?" Amir sat on the edge of his chair. He stared at Will with a strange type of intensity. "What did he say?"

"He said he saw me at the club," Will strained his memory. "And that he saw you with me at the park. He said something about you being dangerous."

"Me?" Amir made a face. "Dangerous? Why would he think that?"

"I don't know," Will shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense. I guess that's something else we'll have to figure out," Will sighed. There went his nice, quiet life.

* * *

A little while after dinner, Lucas knocked on Will's door. He spent the entire afternoon and evening in the waiting room. He wanted to give Will his space. Also, Adrienne was there for Sonny and Lucas didn't want her alone with Justin.

"Hey," Lucas said as he opened the door. "I hope you're up for some more visitors."

Will didn't know who could have come. He was pretty sure he'd seen everyone in town already.

"Will!" a loud barrage of voices yelled as Sydney, Johnny, and Allie burst into his room. The three all clambered over his bed, waking Ari in the process.

"Are you okay?" "Did you get hurt? "Did they give you a shot?" rang all throughout the room as Will tried to settle his siblings down.

"Woah, woah, woah, one question at a time," Will requested. His voice muffled due to the three children covering him.

"I think the biggest question," a concerned voice said from the door, "Is why the hell you didn't call me?"

"Mom," Will smiled when he managed to get himself free.

"Don't you mom, me," Sami Brady warned as she waltzed into the room. She shoved Amir out of the seat he was in without looking to see who it was. "I had to hear from your father of all people you were in something dangerous. Why didn't you tell me?" Sami punctuated the question with a painful punch to the shoulder.

"Ow," Will complained before Sami wrapped him in a bone crushing hug. "I don't know why you all keep saying I didn't call you. I've sent you hundreds of texts and calls and you never responded."

"No, you didn't," Sami insisted, pushing Will away.

"Yes, I did," Will argued.

"No," Sami narrowed her eyes, "You didn't!"

"Yes, I-," Will fired back.

"Okay, time out," Lucas interjected. "Sami, Will has tried calling you. He told me."

"Well, there must be something wrong with his phone," Sami deduced, crossing her arms. "I have been sitting, waiting for my eldest to call me. Waiting for him to confide in me, waiting for-,"

"Okay," Lucas cut her off with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Will, I do think there's something wrong with your phone."

"It doesn't matter now," Will said. "I don't know where it is. In your coat closet maybe."

"Still," Lucas said. "You couldn't contact anyone when you were in California. You couldn't talk to Sami or Sonny here. It's not normal."

"What about Sonny?" Sami snapped. "I saw him in the waiting room. Dragged himself home, did he?"

"It's nothing," Will said, looking away from Sami's gaze. He saw Ari playing around with his siblings.

"Don't pull that on me," Sami ordered. "I invented that crap. You tell me everything that's been happening and you tell me right now."

Amir, never sure how to act around Sami Brady, inched towards the door. "I'll just go check on my ammi."

Sami looked over her shoulder and frowned when the door closed. "Was that Amir? What's he doing here?"

"It's a long story," Will said. Seeing Sami's glare, Will sighed. "Which is why I better start at the beginning."

By the time Amir came back into the room, Will finished explaining everything to Sami.

Amir hovered near the door before walking over to Will's bed. He perched himself on the edge, looking rather awkward.

"So, let me get this straight," Sami pinched the bridge of her nose. "You moonlighted as a stripper to get information about a serial killer? In a town you've never been to before?"

"Uh…yes," Will answered.

"And a detective, a real life police detective, convinced my sweet, innocent baby that he needed to help him?" Sami narrowed her eyes and glared at Will.

"Uh…yes," Will said in a weak voice.

"Which resulted in you and my granddaughter getting kidnapped all because some stupid, idiotic," Sami turned her glare on Amir, "Boy has a crush on you? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Uh…" Amir looked at Will, "Yes?"

"Why does no one tell me anything?" Sami stood up and began to pace. "I could have told all you that this was a horrible idea from the start."

"Well, I didn't think I had a choice," Will argued. "I needed money. And don't say you would have given it to me," Will said before Sami could open her mouth. "I'm an adult. Just because Sonny left me didn't mean I was useless. I needed to prove to myself that I could provide for my daughter. I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I wanted to write the best article I could and prove to myself that I wasn't a waste. And I know that sounds stupid and I know I failed but-,"

"Oh, shut up!" Sami threw her hands up in the air. She grunted a few choice words under her breath that had Lucas yelling out, "Sami!" before Sami turned around. She put her hands on Will's shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "Yes, you were stupid. But not for the reasons you said. You're stupid for thinking that anyone that matters believes you're a waste. You should have come to me straight away."

"I tried!" Will insisted, voice taking on a whining twinge. He always got that way when he tried not to cry. "I'd call or text or send you an email and you'd never answer. No one would answer. And I just, I felt like, I was already alone and I just-," Will bowed his head, trying to focus. "I felt so isolated."

Sami put her arm around Will and rubbed his back. Will leaned against her collarbone, relaxing into her firm hold.

"I thought I could do this," Will whispered. "I just made everything worse."

"It's not your fault," Amir rushed to explain. Will turned his head to catch Amir's eyes. "Balewa convinced you to go and even if he hadn't, Frick wanted to lure you there."

"Because of you," Sami huffed.

"I-yes," Amir swallowed. "Because he found out that I liked Will."

"But," Lucas thought back to when Detective Balewa explained it to them. "You said, that Frick guy got Will fired in California because of you. Because of your feelings or whatever. Why would he bring Will back into things? Why would he bring Will to Fairfield? You hadn't seen Will in a year."

"I-um-I," Amir looked down and fiddled with a bracelet he wore. "Because I sent Will a birthday present. Aker was with me when I sent it. He must have told Frick."

Amir's face crumbled as Will sat up out of Sami's hold.

"I didn't realize any of this would happen," Amir whispered. "I'd never hurt you or Ari. You have to believe me. I wouldn't. I'm so sorry I got you involved in this, Will. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," Will reached over and squeezed Amir's hand. "You didn't know."

"I should have," Amir sighed.

Will turned back to face Sami again and paused. Sami and Lucas were sharing a look that Will didn't understand. Before Will could question them, a knock at the door sounded.

"Hey," Marlena Evans poked her head inside. "I thought I saw you sneak by."

Marlena opened the door. Eric and Roman followed her inside. They all embraced Sami before turning their attention towards the kids.

Amir didn't seem quite sure what to do with himself with so many of Will's family surrounding them. Especially when Kate, Will's other grandma, returned.

"Sorry," Will told Amir, noticing his discomfort. "There are a lot of us."

"Yeah," Amir agreed with a sort of wonder to his gaze. "It's always just been my mom and I. Sometimes my dad was around too but never this many. You're lucky."

"I guess I am," Will realized with a small smile.

"Where's John?" Sami asked Marlena once she settled down next to Will's bed.

"Oh, he's out in the waiting room with Paul," Marlena said. She didn't seem to realize the implication of her words.

Will rolled his eyes. Sonny, the poor martyr, telling Will how he wanted to talk things out. All with Paul sitting by Sonny's side like the good little lapdog he had become.

 _I knew Sonny was a liar. I knew it._

Sami narrowed her eyes but said nothing. She cleared her throat before saying, "Mom, have you met Amir?"

Marlena seeming to realize Amir was there at all, startled. "Uh, no." She stuck her hand out and smiled. "I'm Marlena, Will's grandma."

Amir nodded. "I'm Amir, Will's…uh…"

"Friend," Will supplied. He gave Marlena a hard look. She knew who Amir was and Will didn't need any lectures.

"Of course," Marlena nodded.

"Amir is the one who found Will and Ari," Sami said. She linked her arm with Amir's. "He saved them."

"What's that?" Eric asked as he walked over. "Who saved Will and Ari?"

Amir shrank towards Sami as everyone gravitated toward them. Everyone was eager to learn all about Amir's actions and just how brave he had been.

* * *

Hours later, after threats from the hospital staff, everyone left but Sami and Amir. Amir refused to leave in case he heard any news about his mother. Sami wouldn't leave Will's side. She sent Johnny, Allie, and Sydney with Lucas.

Will appreciated the company. He didn't fancy being alone in a hospital even with Ari as a roommate.

Sami and Amir both nodded off in chairs next to Will's bed. Ari curled herself into Will's chest, holding tight to his hospital gown.

A knock came at the door. It was still dark out but Will could tell it was early morning.

A doctor walked into the room to see three startled sets of eyes on her. "I have news on Amal Paracha."

"What is it?" Amir jumped to his feet, rubbing his eyes. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"

"She's out of surgery," the woman said. Will had seen her around the hospital before but didn't know who she was.

"And?" Amir asked in a hopeful tone.

Amir, Will assumed, hadn't had many dealings with hospitals or their employees. Will could see from the woman's expression alone that she didn't bring good news.

"She's in a coma," the doctor said. "Once she's out of recovery, you can visit her."

Amir slumped in his chair, face stricken. Sami, reserved for once in her life, stood up and had a hushed conversation with the doctor.

"Hey," Will whispered, not wanting to wake Ari. "Are you okay?"

"I…don't know," Amir answered. He looked up at Will through watery eyes.

"Everything will be okay," Will reached out and grabbed Amir's hand. "You'll see."

"I think we should all try to get some more sleep," Sami suggested as she joined them. "The doctor doesn't think they'll move your mother for a few hours."

"Thanks," Amir whispered.

Will gave Sami a grateful look but one also laced with suspicion. His mother wasn't the type to do things out of the goodness of her heart.

Sami tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Will. Will sighed, looking away. He long ago learned not to get in the middle of his mother's plans. It made for an easier life.

 _Besides,_ Will thought as he adjusted Ari's hold on him. _I'm too tired to deal with this shit._

* * *

Will, in a fresh change of clothes, followed Amir down a hallway in silence. Sami, holding Ari's hand, trailed them as well.

It was early the next morning. All three of them had a hard time sleeping. Ari alone slept through the night. She bounced around the hallway, a bundle of energy.

"You don't have to come with me," Amir told Will. "You should take Ari home."

Will looked behind him to see Ari hopping all over the place.

"I told you I'd come with you," Will said. "But, I'll check. Ari, do you want to go home yet?"

"No!" Ari cheered, forcing Sami to swing their arms back and forth high into the air.

"See, she doesn't want to go," Will said.

"Ari doesn't or you don't?" Amir wondered. He lowered his voice and said, "Your husband wasn't in the waiting room when we walked by. You could go talk to him."

Will glanced at Amir out of the corner of his eye. He saw Amir bring his fingertips to his lips for a moment. Thinking back to the kisses they shared, Will swallowed down a sizeable amount of guilt.

"I told you I'd go with you," Will argued. He knew his mother was listening and didn't need her knowing more than she did yet.

Sami, clearing her throat, stepped closer. "To be honest, I'd like to see your mother too. You can't get rid of us that easy, Amir. Deal with it."

Before anyone could say anything else, Sami and Ari opened the door to Amal's room and walked inside.

"I almost forgot what your mother was like," Amir said as he turned to look at Will and sighed. "Almost."

"Yeah," Will gave Amir a small smile. "You've never seen her in her element."

"That must be a sight," Amir commented as they walked into the room.

"Let's hope you never have to see it," Will said although Amir was no longer listening.

As soon as Amir caught sight of his mother, he rushed to her side, grasping her hand.

Will took his time moving into the room. Despite how much time he spent in them, Will didn't like hospitals much. Nor did he care to see anyone helpless, hooked up to machines with that monotonous beeping. A beeping that haunted Will's dreams during his youth.

Sami and Ari stood a few feet away from Amal's bed. Giving Amir privacy although it wasn't needed. Amir spoke in a hushed, gentle tone in Urdu. They couldn't understand him even if they wanted to.

Amal looked quite terrible. Most of her hair had been shaved to go with the surgery to repair her skull. A large white bandage wrapped around her head, drawing the eye.

Not wanting to infringe on such a private moment, Will considered stepping outside. Instead, Ari broke free from Sami's hold on her hand. Will watched as his daughter clambered into Amir's lap, settling.

"'Mir's mommy?" Ari questioned as she stared at Amal's pale face.

"Yeah, that's my mommy," Amir answered.

"Pretty," Ari said with a firm nod. She turned to face Amir and frowned. "No cry," Ari insisted. She used her tiny hands to wipe at Amir's tears. "S'okay."

Will's heart melted watching his precious little daughter offer such comfort. Even Sami let out a little coo.

* * *

Ari sat on Amir's lap for almost an hour. Amir held his mother's hand, offering up both Muslim and Christian prayers. Ari tried her best to mimic everything Amir did and said. Will couldn't help from laughing at her horrible pronunciation of Amir's language.

Doctors and nurses came and went with little news. Amal's condition hadn't changed. The injuries to her head were extensive. If she woke up from her coma, there was a strong possibility that she might not be the same again.

"You should go," Amir said, standing up with Ari. "There isn't anything you can do here."

"I don't think you should be alone," Will responded.

"I agree," Sami insisted. She stood next to Amir and started fussing over his hair and clothes. "You need a shower and a good meal. Come on," Sami ordered, leaving no room for argument. "You're coming with us."

Amir nodded. "Oh, wait," he rubbed his lips together. "Her stuff."

It took Will a few seconds to remember. With such a tense atmosphere, Will forgot about searching Amal's possessions.

Amir looked through the modest chest of drawers beside the bed. In the top drawer was a plastic bag filled with Amal's belongings.

Amir fiddled with the bag taking a few extra-long seconds to open it. Coming up to his side, Will looked into the bag. "Anything?"

"Just this," Amir showed Will the necklace his mother had been wearing as well as an emerald ring. "I don't know why that would scare Frick off. See?"

Will grabbed the ring and examined it. The ring was pretty but basic. Just a simple green stone set in a silver band.

Sami and Ari joined them. "Oooh!" Ari admired the ring.

Sami snatched the ring from Will and held it up to the light. "Approximately 1.32 carats, emerald cut, blue-green with few inclusions."

"How do you know that?" Will asked out of curiosity.

"I make it my business to know gems," Sami sniffed as she handed the ring back. "It's valuable but that's about it. Where did she get it?"

"My dad got it for her when I was born," Amir said as he stuffed the ring and the necklace in his pocket. "Emerald's my birthstone."

"Right," Will said, brows wrinkling together. "I could have sworn that's what she touched that scared Frick off."

"Let's not think about it right now," Amir suggested in a weary voice. "Not now, please."

Will nodded.

"Come on," Sami said. "Showers and breakfast. You two are starting to smell."

Ari waved her nose in front of her hand. "Pee-yew, stinky."

* * *

Author's note:

Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

Will collapsed on a sofa, exhausted. The few days after he left the hospital left Will drained. Sami, refusing to leave Will, insisting to any and all that he needed her, relocated back to Salem. Her fear of Will self-imploding without her guidance overcame her fear of Stefano DiMera. Will had spent the past three days helping to unload box after box of items shipped from Los Angles.

Sami purchased a condo in the same building as Lucas'. Although it was much larger, encompassing the entire top floor. Will, Lucas, Eric, and Amir managed to get the entire home decorated to Sami's specific liking.

When Will first saw the space, he was certain Sami made a mistake in buying it. It seemed much too large for her. He didn't think living at a mansion left that much of an impression that she had to live in her own massive space. That was before Will realized Sami wanted him and Ari to move in as well.

Here Will was now, 22 and living at home with his mommy. Will hoped the arrangement was only temporary. Lucas didn't much like the idea of Will leaving his place. He did concede that it was better for Will and Ari to have separate rooms, though. Everyone stayed nearby anyway. If the kids weren't in Sami's condo they were in Lucas'.

Everyone acted like one big family again. One big, disjointed family. Sami and Lucas got along well considering their differing views on Will's personal life. They almost got along a little well, if Will thought about it.

Sami's condo was spacious enough that Will didn't feel trapped living with his mom once again. Ari returned to preschool. Johnny, Allie, and Sydney started at a local private school. It left plenty of time for Will to write in the mornings in relative peace. Although Sami and Amir were often in the condo, they left Will to his writing.

Sami insisted that Amir stay with them as well. It didn't make any sense for him to drive an hour back to Fairfield to sleep only to drive back to the hospital a few hours later. Amir made for a good house guest. He stayed on a pull out sofa in the living room without complaint. He cleaned up after himself and contributed to all the chores. He didn't even seem to mind the four children that pestered him for attention.

Will found it a bit unnerving, though. Sami got along with Amir, welcomed him into her life as well as Will's. She showed genuine concern for him and Amal both. Yet she didn't leave Will and Amir much time alone. Sami always lurked, jumping into their conversation whenever an intimate topic came up. Will didn't know why but it all unsettled him.

Will supposed it could be because he refused to see Sonny. The police confiscated Will's phone and had yet to return it. Sonny still found a way to pester Will through Lucas. Despite what his dad said, Will wasn't ready to talk to Sonny. Too much had happened between them. Too many hurts, too many misunderstandings.

Will didn't see how they could ever go back to the way they once were.

Sami encouraged Will to keep his distance. Often telling Will that Sonny had his chances to fix things and didn't take them. As Sami often pointed out, Sonny had yet to see Ari at length either. Even at the hospital, Sonny expressed concern for Will, seeing Will, talking to Will. But he had yet to spend a proper amount of time with Ari since returning to Salem. Will knew Sonny spent time with Ari in the waiting room. Sami spied on them and reported everything.

According to her, Ari seemed rather reluctant to sit in Sonny's lap. Ari spent most of her time struggling to get away and asking for Will. A part of Will felt vindicated by that. Another part of Will felt sad. Sad that his daughter, whose smile once lit up at Sonny's presence, wasn't interested in Sonny at all.

Will didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to get out of the rut he was in. Torn between proving himself an adult, a proper father and the ease of letting his parents take care of him. Wanting his parents to take him. Torn between fixing things with Sonny and keeping his head in the sand. Pretending the unanswered questions from the investigation weren't driving him crazy. Not knowing what was going on in his life, the coincidences that weren't coincidences. Ignoring how attached Amir had become to him and Will to Amir. Ignoring the looks Amir gave him, the looks his mother gave him when she saw them together.

Will ignored a lot.

* * *

One afternoon, while all alone, a desperate knock pounded on the door. Will glanced at the door, weary of answering it. That unease grew once he heard the voice behind it.

"Will, I know you're in there," Sonny's voice, muffled but distinct, called. "Please, open the door?"

Blaming his father for this, Will pushed off the couch. He took his sweet time walking to the door. Trying to decide what to do. Wondering if he could pretend he wasn't home and put off this conversation for even a moment longer.

"Will?" Sonny's voice cracked, "Will, please."

Heart giving an unwanted pang, Will grabbed the door handle.

"What?" Will opened the door just enough to show his face.

"Please, Will," Sonny pleaded. "We have to talk."

Sonny looked awful. Hair in disarray, deep bags under his eyes, skin pale and blotchy

"No, no we don't," Will sighed. "You're always going on about actions speaking louder. I'd say your actions have said enough."

"I didn't-," Sonny cut himself off. He put his hand on the doorjamb when Will tried to close the door. "Will, if you'd just talk to me, I'm sure we'd both understand everything so much better."

Will gave Sonny a deep glare. "I'm not in the mood for your patronizing, 'Sonny knows best', bullshit right now. I am trying to write. You know, that thing I do that makes money so I don't have to sell myself to other men," Will mocked.

"Will," Sonny sighed. "Please, just one conversation."

Will looked away from Sonny's big, woeful eyes.

"Please?" Sonny tried again.

Will rolled his eyes but pushed the door further open. He didn't say anything or bother to look in Sonny's direction at all. Instead, Will gathered all the notes he had spread over the couch and coffee table. Once finished, Will sat on the edge of the sofa, hands folded in his lap and back straight.

"Look at this, please," Sonny said as he pulled something out his wallet. He sat next to Will on the couch. "This is why the credit card bill is so high."

Sonny placed two credit cards on the coffee table. They looked almost identical. Both red with Cash Rewards and Jackson Kiriakis written on them. The only difference was one said World in tiny print above the word Visa and the other did not. "What am I looking at?"

"This the card we have," Sonny pushed one card toward Will, the Cash Rewards card."This other one is what Uncle Vic gave me. I must have gotten them mixed up."

"Hmm," Will shoved both cards near Sonny and crossed his arms. He wasn't impressed.

"Okay," Sonny admitted, shoulders tense, "I might have made some of the charges. The ones in the beginning with the hiking and what not. I wanted you to see that I was fine on my own. That I could go out and have fun without you."

Will's jaw twitched. It took every bit of his strength to not lash out.

"But that was in the beginning. I always intended to pay for them," Sonny insisted. "And the other charges, the clubs and stuff, that was for business."

"Business?" Will repeated in a wry tone. "You were running a night club. Your idea of making that work is to go to your competition?"

"Not-well-uh-you see," Sonny stammered, Will's unwavering gaze on him. "Okay, Uncle Vic has some associates, business associates. He didn't want them seen at his club. So, I took them elsewhere, spared no expense."

"Associates?" Will blinked at Sonny once, twice before setting his jaw. "Either you think I'm that stupid or you're that stupid."

"Will," Sonny sighed, "It's not like that."

"Uh, yeah, it is," Will gave Sonny a once over, lips curling in disgust. The man in front of him was not the one Will married. Will's Sonny would never get involved in any of Victor's shady, illegal business proceedings.

Sonny looked like he wanted to say more. Looked like he wanted to argue as loud as he could. Hold steadfast to his insistence he was right even when he knew he was wrong. Instead, Sonny moved on.

"I know things look bad but I promise I didn't mean to rack up our credit card bill," Sonny stated. "And I didn't drain our checking account either."

Will snorted. He couldn't hold his emotions inside much longer.

"I didn't!" Sonny argued. "Will, I would never leave you and Ari with nothing. You're my family. Did you think I'd hurt you like that?"

Will didn't care for the accusatory tone in Sonny's voice or the indignant hurt in his eyes. Sonny wasn't the one hurt in this situation.

"I didn't think you'd abandon me or Ari but you did," Will answered. "I didn't think you spent our relationship pining for someone else but you did. I didn't think you'd see me in a dangerous situation and walk away but you did. So, yes, I did think you'd leave us with nothing. That's how you've treated us these past few months, like we're nothing."

Sonny stared at Will for a few moments before turning away. "I know I shouldn't have left the way I did. I know that now. You just, I couldn't be in Salem anymore. I couldn't be around you when you kept making things worse. I needed space, time to breathe. Time to figure out what I wanted."

"No, you didn't," Will argued. "You left because Paul fucked someone that wasn't you, again. Stop lying to me. Everything you've done in the past year has been for Paul."

"That is not true!" Sonny yelled.

"It is," Will insisted. "Why are you even here? Just go run to him like you always do. I'm sure that's who you'll see next anyway. That's what you do, isn't it? Run off to Paul after every conversation with me. So, just go. Go be with Paul. Stop pretending you care about me."

"I do care about you!" Sonny stood up and started to pace. "You're my husband, damn it. I love you! Would you stop with the Paul stuff? Why are you so determined to think the worst of me?"

"Why should I listen to you when you never listen to me?" Will turned his head away. "You don't love me. You don't care. Just stop it."

"You're the one that never talked to me," Sonny said in an almost desperate tone. "I called. I emailed. Those plane tickets, the chateau, it was for us. But you didn't come."

"You didn't send me anything," Will refused to look at Sonny. "You never called me. You never contacted me. If you cared, if you loved me, you would have come back. But you didn't. So stop it."

"I can't," Sonny replied. "Will, I can't."

"Yeah, you can," Will dismissed. "You've been doing it the past year. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Will, please," Sonny said. "I'm trying to figure this out. Something is wrong and not just between us. Something outside of us. I just want to find out what. I want…to…" Sonny trailed off, eyes focused on a notebook opened on a side table nearby.

Will, curious despite his anger, looked over at Sonny. Sonny's eyes focused on a notebook, Amir's notebook filled with various doodles.

"Whose is that?" Sonny pointed at the book.

"What?" Will repeated even though he heard Sonny loud and clear. "Whose is what?"

"That," Sonny spat, "That!"

"Uh," Will didn't know how to answer, didn't want to answer. He couldn't think of a tactful way to tell Sonny Amir had been sleeping on the couch.

Before Will could think of anything, Sonny snatched the book. He flipped through the pages, glaring at each drawing.

Will stood up, clearing his throat. "It's Amir's notebook. Now, put it back."

"Amir?" Sonny hissed. "The first guy you cheated on me with?"

"I did not sleep with him," Will defended. "I was, am his friend. That's it."

"Bullshit!" Sonny roared, making Will jump. "What the hell is this?"

Sonny brandished a page from the notebook with several drawings of Will. Some looked like comics, others were lifelike. Some were just certain features of Will, his eyes, his hands. One page showed Will's lips in the center with other, small pictures around it, white wings, a mask, a pen, and the symbol for the Deathly Hallows. Will had never seen any of the pictures before and thought they were rather good.

He understood why they made Sonny uncomfortable, though. The pictures brought forth a sense of intimacy and devotion. Will knew the preoccupation with his lips had to do with the kisses they shared. The kisses Will and Amir hadn't discussed.

"He likes me," Will mumbled, trying to take the notebook away.

"Likes you?" Sonny glared. "He doesn't like you he's-he's obsessed with you!"

"No, he isn't," Will argued, indignant on Amir's behalf. "He's a nice guy and-,"

"Why is this here?" Sonny demanded. "At Sami's house, why?"

"Because my mom told him to stay," Will answered. "He sleeps on the couch."

"Oh my god," Sonny snarled, face contorting. He brought the notebook to his chest, crinkling the pages, almost ripping them.

"Don't do that," Will admonished, seizing the book from Sonny. "You could have ruined it!"

"Oh, well, we can't have his shrine for you ruined," Sonny hissed. "So, that's it, huh. That's why you won't talk to me. That's why you won't listen. Because of _him_."

Will put Amir's book back on the table, trying not to react to Sonny's words. "I don't want to talk to you because of you and me. It has nothing to do with Amir."

"Yeah, right," Sonny shook his head. "And you were going on about Paul when you're shacking up with this loser."

"I am not. My mom is the one who invited him," Will argued. "He sleeps on the couch."

"Paul told me all about him," Sonny disregarded Will. "He told me how dangerous he is."

"Oh, well if Paul said it, it must be true," Will said in a horrible tone. "Because precious Paul is right about everything."

"Don't start on Paul again," Sonny warned. "He's the only one that told me what you were doing."

"I told you!" Will shouted, losing his patience. "I told you in explicit detail in one of the millions of voicemails you didn't answer."

"I didn't get any voicemails!" Sonny yelled back.

"Well, isn't that convenient," Will responded. "You know what? I am not going to listen to you trash the only person that's been there."

"Yeah and isn't that convenient," Sonny fired back. "Why is it that he's the only there, Will? Huh? Why is it when he's around, you can't talk to anyone else?"

Will stared at Sonny, tears of anger and frustration lining his eyes. "When Ari and I were in that basement, I prayed and begged, fantasized and pleaded that you would find us. That you would rescue us and everything could go back to normal. But you didn't. You didn't even answer my call. We were trapped in a freezing basement. I was drugged and-and Frick wanted to kill me and you didn't answer. You didn't care."

Will wiped away a few tears that he couldn't hold back. "I wanted you to find us and you didn't. But you know who did? Amir, Amir found us. He knew something was wrong and he wasn't going to stop until he found out what. Amir cared. That's all he's ever done, care about me and Ari. And I am not going to let you take that away."

"What was I supposed to think?" Sonny whispered. "After what I saw at that club and you were gone. I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know what to think. I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough," Will shook his head, wiping under his eyes and sniffing. "You weren't there. You weren't. You said you were done with me."

"I was angry," Sonny justified. "I didn't know what to think."

"And now," Will closed his eyes, "You don't care about how I feel at all. You haven't tried to see Ari. You want to take away the only person that's been there for me. The only person that doesn't expect anything out of me."

"He expects something, Will," Sonny interjected. "And you know what it is."

"Amir doesn't want or expect anything from me," Will argued. "Unlike you. So, just, leave."

"Will, I can't," Sonny said. "I don't know what's wrong with us but we can fix it. Let me figure out what's been interfering. I know Amir has something to do with this. I know it."

"Leave," Will repeated. He fixed his watery blue eyes on Sonny. "That's what you're good at, isn't it?"

Will watched as Sonny swallowed down his hurt. It took a few moments for Sonny to respond. "I love you, Will. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Maybe then you'll see I'm not the bad guy in this."

Will turned away from Sonny, waiting until the door shut behind him. He let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. He wiped at his eyes. Cursing that stupid flutter of hope that wouldn't die out whenever Sonny was near.

* * *

Author's note:

Thanks for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

Thanksgiving in Salem came and went with little fanfare. Will and Ari stayed home with Sami and the kids. Lucas and Kate came over for dinner with a few other visitors sprinkled along the way. Amir was there as well until too many people showed up. Uncomfortable with all the strangers, Amir left to sit with his mother at the hospital.

All day long Sami had been giving Will and Amir strange looks. Not like the looks everyone else gave. It wasn't accusatory or judgmental, only curious.

Will dismissed it as nothing. Sami never held back from voicing her opinion. She'd tell him if there was something on her mind.

* * *

The next morning, with Amir at the hospital and the kids busy, Sami dragged Will into her bedroom and closed the door.

"We need to talk," Sami declared as she sat on the edge of her bed. "And I don't want us disturbed."

"What are we talking about?" Will wondered.

"I want to talk about Amir," Sami said.

"What about him? I thought you liked him," Will said narrowing his eyes. It wasn't Will's idea to let Amir stay.

"I do like him and that's the problem," Sami said. "Look, Amir is a sweet boy. He gets along great with the kids. I don't want to kill him. And his face? Praise all sorts of deities for making that."

"Mom!" Will scolded, face heating up.

"What? I can't notice how hot your little boyfriend is?" Sami rolled her eyes.

"Is there a point to all this?" Will asked with a shake of his head.

"Yes, the point is he's in love with you," Sami said in a gentle tone. "And there are a lot of unanswered questions still."

"He's not in love with me," Will shifted in his spot, looking away from Sami. "He likes me. I know that. But he's not-,"

"Yeah, Will, he is," Sami cut him off. "Amir is one hundred percent completely in love with you. I can see it. Your father can see it. I'm sure Sonny can see it. That's the problem."

"I can't control how Amir feels," Will pointed out.

"No, you can't," Sami agreed. "I'm just afraid that his love might end up hurting you."

"What do you mean?" Will questioned.

"A lot of strange things have happened," Sami reminded Will. "And I think it's time we consider the idea that Amir had something to do with it."

"Amir didn't do anything," Will argued without a thought. "Frick was manipulating him."

"Amir says Frick manipulated him," Sami countered. "Look, I trust Amir. I do. I think he's a good kid. But I'm having a hard time seeing how Frick could manipulate him for that long. Combined with the things you heard between Frick and Amal. I don't want to doubt Amir but we can't rule it out."

"Mom," Will said. "I told you, I don't know what I saw between Frick and Amal. They were arguing and I didn't understand half of what they said. I had drugs running through my system. Besides, Amir saved me and Ari. He did."

"I'm not denying that," Sami placated. "I'm just saying that something doesn't add up. Now, for one thing, I don't understand what Fairfield had to do with my movie. I've never been to Fairfield and I don't know any of those people."

"Did EJ?" Will asked. "Did Stefano?"

Sami's brow wrinkled, thinking. Will could see the wheels turning before they stopped.

"No," Sami answered. "I don't think so. Fairfield is too small. DiMera Enterprises doesn't have an office there. So, I doubt EJ would have had any dealings.

"Now, as I was saying, I don't get the connection between Frick and my movie. So, I called the studio the other day. It seems that our little executive friend mysteriously came into some money and retired. You know what that means?" Sami looked at Will with a smug smile on her face.

"…No, what does it mean?" Will asked.

"It means that someone paid him off. We went to a party at his house. The man had more than enough already. Who could have given him enough money to please a man as rich as him?" Sami smiled. "You saw Frick's financials. Rich, yes, but not that rich."

"So, who paid the guy off?" Will wondered.

"That's what we need to find out," Sami smacked her hand on Will's thigh. "We find out where the money came from, we find out who we're dealing with."

"Okay," Will nodded. "How are we going to do that?"

"You and Amir are good with computers, aren't you?" Sami gave him an expectant look.

Will sighed.

"But, before we do that, I had another thought," Sami told Will. "Sonny is on some sort of a hunt for the truth too. He's convinced that Amir is behind all this."

"Isn't that what you think?" Will asked with a roll of his eyes.

"No," Sami said. "I just think there's more going on than we know. Anyway," Sami glared at Will, "I was eavesdropping on your father talking to Sonny and it hit me."

"What?" Will asked when he realized his mother wasn't going to say anything until prompted.

"We need to talk to your old leasing agent at the apartment complex," Sami said.

"Why?" Will asked, feeling annoyed. He didn't like getting left out of the loop.

"Because I'm starting to think it's all connected," Sami said. "You got kicked out of your apartment. Your money disappeared. Not to mention, you got manipulated into helping the police and going to that club. All while you couldn't contact anyone and left feeling alone with no one but Amir around.

"I'm not saying it's Amir's fault," Sami held up her hand to silence Will's protests. "All I'm saying is someone did this. And if Amal was in cahoots with Frick, I think it might have been her."

"But why would Amal do that?" Will asked. "It's not like she had any reason to."

"No reason?" Sami gave Will a disappointed look. "Will, she had every reason. Her only child is in love with you. You, a man married to someone else, in another town. Amir's feelings hadn't changed in over a year. I'm sure Amal couldn't stand it anymore. Couldn't stand watching her son pine after someone else and did everything she could to get you to Amir."

"But," Will thought everything over, "If that's true, she left a whole lot to chance. She had no way of knowing Sonny left me. She had no idea the cops would come to me just because my articles were on the bodies. Even if they did, she didn't know they'd ask me to help."

"Yeah, about that," Sami licked her lips, face flushed. A sort of manic gleam twinkled in her eyes. The same gleam Will got when he did something dangerous and excited. "What if there were no articles?"

"I saw the articles, Mom," Will said.

"No, you saw the articles they showed you," Sami amended.

"You lost me," Will confessed.

"Frick never mentioned any articles to you, did he? And you're right. It's a huge risk leaving the articles hoping for you to get to Fairfield. The press never reported them. How would you know to go?" Sami explained. "I think someone planted the articles. Someone close to the investigation."

"You mean, one of the cops?" Will frowned. "I've only ever talked to three of them, Detective Balewa and Officers Ramirez and Washington."

"I know," Sami nodded. "One of them must have done it."

"But, I mean," Will tried to understand. "Amir didn't know I was working for the cops. His head almost exploded when he found out. And if Frick knew I was working undercover, why would he take me upstairs and reveal what he did?"

"I'm not saying he knew," Sami said. "He might have assumed you came on your own."

"How would we even find that out?" Will shook his head. "It's not like I can ask any of them."

"I'm just saying, a man like Frick has help and friends," Sami said. "Think about Stefano. He's had governors, senators, policemen on his payroll. You can't exert that much control over a town with only a few businessmen as your allies."

"So, what?" Will mused. "Frick and Amal are in things together?"

"Maybe," Sami replied. "I'd wager that Frick didn't realize what he was dealing with when he brought Amal on board, though. Didn't realize that she would branch out on her own with you."

Will rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache brewing. This was all too confusing. Everything they had was theories or guesswork. Nothing was concrete.

"Let's get your father up here to watch the kids," Sami suggested. "We'll go to the leasing agent. Come on."

* * *

Will felt nostalgic leaving the old apartment complex. He had some of his best memories there. It was painful walking away from the place.

The leasing agent was only somewhat helpful. She admitted under normal circumstances, she wouldn't evict a tenant for a late payment so soon. In Will's case, someone persuaded her to uphold the leasing agreement. Sami whittled out of her that persuaded meant two large men with a large check.

"Well," Sami said as they left, "That was illuminating. Someone wanted you out of that place."

Will nodded, "Yeah."

"Someone sent those thugs to the complex," Sami said. "Do you think it was Frick?"

"I don't know," Will stopped to think. "When Amir attacked Frick, back at Amal's house, Aker didn't stop him."

"What?" Sami turned to look at Will.

"The guy that kidnapped us," Will said. "Amir and Frick started fighting and Aker didn't move. I tried to leave and he told me to watch. The whole time he kept saying nothing would happen to me. Why wouldn't he stop Amir from hurting Frick?"

"Well," Sami said after a moment. "Maybe Amal was in charge after all."

"We need to talk to Amir," Will said with a sense of dread. "See if he knows more than he thinks."

* * *

When Amir arrived back at the condo neither Will nor Sami could figure out a way to broach the topic. Will, thankful that Sami didn't just blurt it out, tried to think of a good way to bring it up.

The minute Amir walked in the door, Ari grabbed his hand, insisting he had to play. A chance to talk to Amir, with only the adult's around, didn't come up until after bedtime for all the kids.

Will corralled the kiddos into Johnny's room and read them all a nice, long bedtime story. By the time he came back, Amir was sitting down at the dining table with Sami and Lucas. He had a laptop open and his fingers were flying across the keys.

"What's going on?" Will asked a little alarmed.

"I told Amir what I learned about the movie executive," Sami told Will with a sparkle in her eye. "He's looking into the matter."

"Come look," Amir suggested. "I might need some help."

Will dragged a chair over to Amir, heads brushing together. "No, here, try this," Will said as they did some digging.

Will glanced up from the screen to see his father giving him a peculiar look. Will knew Lucas had been talking with Sonny, maybe even helping him. Will didn't begrudge his father for it. He had Will's best interest at heart but it left Will in an odd position. Lucas hadn't outright asked Will about Amir although he wanted to.

A little over an hour later, Will and Amir figured out the gist of the executive's money. They didn't know who gave it to him but it came from the same bank Will used and Amal worked at.

Amir bit his lip after Will made the announcement. Will glanced at him, worried how Amir would take it.

"Do you think Frick made my mother do this?" Amir asked, looking into Will's eyes. "Or do you think she was, you know, involved the whole time?"

"I'm not sure," Will said. He did his best not to look at Sami, afraid Amir would see his suspicions. Will knew his eyes would give him away in the end anyway. "I mean, we still don't even know why you got involved in the movie, do we?"

Amir shook his head. "Frick never told me. He just said he got me a job and to pretend I was a writer."

"But why?" Lucas demanded, butting into the conversation. "Why would Frick care about that movie?"

"Well," Will reasoned, thinking of anything, "Frick must know who you are, Mom. Maybe he wanted to get in on the money the movie could make."

"No," Amir objected. "Almost as soon as you got fired, Frick told me to leave."

"So, that's why they were using Will's script," Sami realized. "That's why the production stalled for so long. They didn't have a writer."

"Wouldn't they lose a lot of money, though?" Will theorized. "I mean, for a movie studio to waste so much time on one movie? Only to cancel the whole thing in the end."

"We need to talk to that movie executive," Lucas decided. "He can tell us more. See if you can find his new number."

"We don't know about Paul, either," Amir stated, surprising everyone.

"What about Paul?" Lucas questioned. "You think he has something to do with this all?"

"Well," Will looked at Amir before answering. "Paul was at the club a few times. He recognized me but he didn't tell me about it until I got on stage. Even then, he waited over a day to seek me out. And he recognized Amir. Tried to tell me Amir was dangerous."

"Well," Lucas tried to make sense of it all and couldn't. "There must be some sort of explanation. Sami, what do you think?"

Will, Amir, and Lucas turned to face Sami who had been quiet for too long.

Sami tapped her nails on her arm. Will recognized that expression. It was her thinking face. Her second most frightening face only behind her scheming one.

"It's a little convenient," Sami said.

"What is?" Will wondered.

"All of it," Sami declared. "This Frick person wanted you out of the way in California. As soon as you got to Salem, you met Paul. Paul, who just so happened to be Sonny's ex, and somehow knew to go to a club all the way in Fairfield. I've lived in Salem almost my whole life and I've never been to Fairfield."

Will contemplated telling his mom she was an urban legend. That children in Fairfield told each other Sami Brady stories to scare one another. He didn't want to deal with the consequences of that, not tonight.

"You got fired," Sami continued, "And your first job back was Paul. Why the hell would Paul come to Salem at all? For their world class amenities and doctors?" Sami rolled her eyes. "I think not. Oh, and he just so happened to be John Black's son? Please."

"What are you saying?" Lucas questioned.

"I think it's time I meet this Paul Narita. Lucas," Sami turned to face him, "Find out his whereabouts. I'm getting my answers."

"We might get some more answers too," Amir said. "I found the number for the studio executive."

Will, Amir, and Lucas crowded around Sami at the dining room table. She had her phone on speaker and held it up to her mouth.

"Hello?" a male voice asked.

"Ah, Mr. Ford," Sami simpered, "Just the man I was looking for."

"Who is this? How did you get this number?" Mr. Ford, the studio executive, questioned.

"This is Sami Brady," Sami said, "And I have a few questions for you."

"Now, see here-" Ford began only for Sami to cut him off.

"Let's cut to the chase, you're going to tell me what I want, now," Sami's tone left no room for argument.

Maybe Ford remembered the intensity of Sami's eyes when she was angry. Or, perhaps, he recalled Sami's ability to make grown men cry. Either way, it only took a few beats for the man to spill everything.

"In the beginning," Ford explained, "The movie was our main focus. Your story is so intriguing. I knew it would be an instant success. The fact that your son was writing it made it even better. That connection, my God, the publicity alone would have been amazing. Then, of course, we also hoped to turn William's life story into a sequel of sorts."

Will scrunched his nose together. He had no interest in anyone watching his life story play out on the big screen.

"I was so excited, the studio was so excited," Ford continued. "William's work was exquisite. Then I got a visitor. A man came to see me, a man by the name of Frick."

Everyone turned to look at each other, eyebrows raised.

"He told me in no uncertain terms that I was to follow his requests," Ford said with a sigh. "That, if I didn't, he would arrange for an accident to happen. Picked up a picture of my wife and daughters. Said if I followed through, I would get compensation. His request was simple. Allow a new writer to come to the movie. I didn't like it but there was too much at stake. I agreed."

Amir shifted next to Will, elbows brushing together.

"The new guy was an amateur at best," Ford snorted. "Didn't know what to do but William guided him. They seemed to work well together. My movie was coming along. There wasn't anything to worry about. I called William into my office. I wanted to congratulate him on a job well done. But I got derailed. Frick sent two men, large men, to visit me. This time, their threats were more severe. They had pictures of my daughters. I didn't have a choice.

"I fired William, per their instructions. It was painful but I couldn't risk my family. It wouldn't be that much of a problem. The script William presented was superb. Then, a few days later, Paracha left as well. I was without a writer and the studio was coming down on me, hard. I tried to find replacements but I couldn't.

"Frick came to me again, telling me to stall. Telling me to drop the movie, kill it, make sure it never saw the light of day. I did and I got my reward. Enough money so my children and my children's children will never have to work again.

"There you have it, Samantha," Ford finished. "I'm not proud but that's it."

"Frick never told you the interest in the movie?" Sami demanded.

"No," Ford sighed. "Now, all these months later, I think he was never interested at all. I think he wanted to ensure that movie never made it to the big screen."

"Thanks," Sami muttered before hanging up.

"Well," Lucas said after a few moments of silence. "That doesn't help us in the slightest, does it?"

"We know Frick didn't want that movie made," Will argued. "Now, we need to find out why. I'll call Balewa in the morning. See if he can arrange for me to talk to Frick."

"And figure out what else we discussed," Sami said.

"What's that?" Amir frowned.

"I think Frick had someone in the police department," Sami said. "Someone that must have planted the articles about Will."

"Oh," Amir muttered. "That would make sense."

"What about Paul?" Will asked, spitting out the name. He didn't want to see Paul. Paul reminded Will of Sonny. Will was not ready to even think about Sonny, not now. "How do we talk to him?"

"He has breakfast at the pub every morning," Lucas revealed. "You guys show up, I'll make sure you talk to him."

"The upstairs apartment is empty," Will remembered. "Aunt Kayla told me when I was in the hospital."

"It's settled then," Sami rubbed her hands together. "Lucas, you get that man to the apartment."

* * *

The next morning Will, Sami, and Amir along with Ari, Sydney, Allie, and Johnny ate at the Brady Pub. Their meal was loud and chaotic but washed away the lonely memory of Will's birthday dinner. After taking all four kids to school, they moved into the apartment above.

The apartment was between tenants. Kayla wanted to give the place a thorough cleaning before the new occupant moved in. It made a perfect meeting spot.

They didn't have to wait long.

"And here's the apartment," Lucas said as he swept open the door. "Lots of Salem history up here, too. Such as-,"

"It was where Gabi conceived Ari," Will interjected with a hint of a smirk.

Paul made it two steps inside before the door closed and locked with an ominous click.

"What's going on here?" Paul questioned, eyes going from face to face.

"So," Sami said as she stepped in front of Paul. Will couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "You're Paul Narita."

Paul rubbed his hands up and down his thighs. Will noticed how hard Paul tried not to look at him.

"Y-yes," Paul stuttered.

"Hmm," Sami appraised, eyes moving up and down his body before making a dismissive noise. "I don't see it. But, I digress. Do you have any idea why you're here?"

"Uh," Paul couldn't seem to keep his eyes on Sami. "No."

"You're here because I think you're a little bit too good to be true," Sami stated. "I think you showing up in this town wasn't destiny or fate. I think coming to Salem was planned. I think everything you've done since arriving in Salem was planned. It must be because you're obviously not smart enough to think of it yourself."

"Hey-," Paul tried to complain only to stop when Sami held up her hand.

"I didn't say you could talk," Sami warned with a glare.

Paul's mouth snapped shut. Will couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

"So, Paul Narita," Sami stared right into his terrified eyes. "You're going to tell me the truth. The whole truth or I'm not going to be so nice for much longer."

Will wasn't sure this would amount to anything. He didn't care for Paul anymore but he didn't think Paul was a part of some nefarious scheme.

"I," Paul licked his lips before looking at his shoes. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"How about we start with why you came to Salem?" Sami ordered. "Was it your idea?"

"…No," Paul admitted. "It wasn't."

"Whose was it?" Sami questioned as Will's mouth dropped open.

"I don't know for sure," Paul said. "I just, after I got injured, I did some research online. Looked up who the best surgeon would be and whatnot. The next day, I got an email. Someone told me I should go to Salem. That I could have my surgery there and that I might find something to interest me. I didn't think anything of it but it got the idea planted."

"Someone told you to go to Salem and you didn't think anything of it?" Sami lifted one brow.

"Well, I mean, I assumed it was one of the team's trainers that passed the info along," Paul defended. "I'd never heard of Salem and figured no one else had either. I could recover in peace."

Will snorted.

"I came to Salem, had the surgery," Paul said as fast as he could. "I saw Sonny and I forgot everything else. I met Will," Paul glanced in Will's direction, lips pressed together. "And things got complicated.

"I didn't remember the email until I got these visitors about a week ago," Paul said with a swallow. "Big guys, intimidating. They said I had to go with them. So, I did. Nothing bad happened, I think they just wanted to scare me. We ended up at that strip club. I just sat at a table for a while with the guys."

"Aker and Monroe," Amir supplied.

Paul nodded. "I saw you there too," Paul looked at Amir. "You came up to the guys, said something to them and left."

Amir's brow furrowed. "That was you?"

Paul nodded again. "I asked who you were and they said you were a big threat. Said a whole bunch of stuff, that I'm guessing was them making a joke. About how you were in charge and I better watch out."

"They're jerks," Amir said when Will turned to look at him. "They've always been like that, joking around about how macho I am or whatever. They think it's funny I'm like this," Amir gestured to rail thin frame.

"Anyway," Paul cleared his throat. "Before long, that Frick guy, he came to see me. He told me he was the one that brought me to Salem."

"What did he want?" Sami demanded.

"Nothing," Paul admitted. "That was the weird thing. He didn't want anything. Just said he was sorry things got so difficult for me. Bought me a drink and that was it."

"That can't be it," Lucas said. "That doesn't make any sense."

"At the time, I didn't get it. Why would he bring me there to buy me a drink?" Paul said. "It makes sense now."

"What does?" Sami asked.

"When I went to leave," Paul explained. "I saw you, Will." Paul held Will's eyes. "I didn't know why you were there or what to think. I stayed until you left and followed you home. Only you didn't go home, not to your apartment. I didn't know what to think about that either. I thought you might have been in some trouble and I wanted to help. Only I didn't know how. So, I followed you back to the club. Then I saw you with him here in Salem," Paul gestured to Amir, "And I thought maybe something else was happening."

"And called Sonny," Will finished for Paul.

"Yeah," Paul bit his lip, staring at the floor. "I did think you were in trouble, I promise. I didn't think anything bad about you."

"Yes, you did," Will argued. "And don't try to tell me you called Sonny out of the goodness of your heart."

Paul opened and closed his mouth a few times. His arms wrapped around his waist, seeming to wrestle with himself.

"I didn't know what to think," Paul said after a while. "The Will I first met, the one when we were friends? He wouldn't have gone to that club. But you haven't been that Will in a long time, at least not to me. I'll admit I thought the worst for a while. I didn't want to but given your past behavior, I had to. And yeah, calling Sonny wasn't all that noble. I wanted to help you but I also wanted to help myself."

Will glared. It wasn't like this was news to him. He knew Paul thought he was awful. He knew Paul wanted Sonny for himself. Still, hearing that anyone, even Paul, thought he was a stripper hurt Will. Especially since no one thought there could have been another explanation for Will stripping. They all thought Will was doing it for fun.

"I'm sorry," Paul told Will in a small voice. "I didn't think about you when I called Sonny, not really. And, um, if it makes you feel any better, I hadn't talked to him since he left Salem. I haven't talked to him since that night at the club either. Even in the car ride home, he wouldn't talk. I tried the other day and he brushed me off."

"I guess that does make me feel better," Will conceded. "A little."

Everyone stood in an awkward silence until Amir's phone went off. The annoying T-Mobile jingle blasted throughout the space.

"Sorry," Amir said as he dug his phone out of his jacket. "It's the hospital," he breathed before answering, "Hello? Yes, I-Masha Allah! I'll be right there."

"What?" Will asked as soon as Amir hung up. "What happened?"

"Ammi's waking up!" Amir answered.

* * *

Author's note:

Thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

Will and Amir sat by Amal's bedside in silence. After Amir announced his mother was waking up, he raced out the door. Will ran after him leaving his parents alone with Paul. They arrived at the hospital hours ago and now were waiting.

Amal was waking but it would take time. Every now and again she'd open her eyes, blink, before closing them again. Each time, Amir would get his hopes up, assuming, this time, was for real. Will, having experience with this kind of thing, assured Amir everything was fine.

To pass the time, Will reread _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ on his tablet while Amir doodled in his notebook. It was easier for Will to concentrate than Amir.

Amir, leg bouncing up and down, couldn't sit still. "Do you think she'll be alright? I mean, her head got hit so hard, what if she's different?"

"We won't know for a while," Will patted Amir's hand. "We just have to wait and see."

"Right, yeah," Amir bowed his head. In a small voice he said, "Thanks for staying with me."

"It's alright," Will said with a small smile. "It beats staying at home and thinking about how sad my life has become."

"Your life isn't sad," Amir argued. "Confusing and not what you thought but it's alright. You're so lucky."

"Me?" Will gave Amir a strange look.

"You are," Amir nodded. "I mean, things aren't perfect with your parents but they love you so much. Even with all the bad blood you told me about, they're still working together for you now. You have the sweetest daughter in the world. Your brother and sisters are amazing. Yeah, your husband is a douche. Sure, some of your extended family sucks too. I don't know," Amir shrugged. "Maybe since I only had my mom around, I can see things different."

"I guess that's true," Will smiled. He had been so consumed by his hurt and anger. He didn't take into account all he had to be thankful for.

The reality of the situation, Amir cheering him up while waiting for Amal to get out of a coma, made Will feel ridiculous. It put everything into perspective for Will.

"Thank you," Will bumped his shoulder into Amir's. "You're the best."

Amir shrugged.

"You're also dumb," Will teased. Seeing a hint of a smile on Amir's face, Will grinned in triumph. "You know," Will realized. "I'm sure we have some more waiting to do. Why don't we go down to the cafeteria and get something to drink?"

"I don't want her to be alone when she wakes up," Amir shook his head.

"Okay, you go and I'll stay," Will suggested. "You need a break here. I can see the walls closing in on you. Go on."

Amir looked like he wanted to argue but didn't. He nodded, standing up. "Coffee?"

"Please," Will smiled. "If you don't mind."

"Sure," Amir nodded as he headed out the door.

Will leaned back in his chair, glancing at Amal. She looked quite vulnerable in that bed. She seemed softer, kinder. It was hard to imagine Amal having anything to do with Frick when she looked like this. But Will knew it had to be true. There were too many coincidences that all pointed to Amal.

Still, Will hoped it wasn't true. For Amir's sake, he didn't want it to be true. It would break Amir's heart.

Seeing Amir's notebook on his abandoned chair, Will deliberated. After the way Sonny snooped, Will had to admit he was curious. What else had Amir drawn?

Looking over his shoulder, feeling guilty, Will grabbed the book.

 _Just a quick peek_ , Will assured himself. _Look real fast and put it back. It won't hurt anyone._

Knowing he was doing something wrong, Will took a deep breath and opened the book. The first few pages were tattoo designs, swirls and words in Urdu Will couldn't read. Although they were quite pretty. The next pages were comics and cartoon doodles. A few even showed Frick's likeness with an over inflated head bellowing orders.

Laughing, Will continued looking, enthralled.

"Will?" a rough voice questioned.

Will jumped, dropping the notebook. "I wasn't looking!" Will yelled in a panic. He scrambled to get the book and threw it on Amir's chair, pretending he didn't do anything.

"Will," the voice repeated.

Will scanned the room. He didn't see anyone. It took him a few moments to realize the voice belonged to Amal.

"Oh my God," Will said, rushing to her side. He grabbed Amal's delicate hand and squeezed. "Hi. Let me call the nurse."

"No," Amal said, wincing. "No. Have tell you. You understand. Need understand."

"You don't have to say anything," Will said in a compassionate voice. He smoothed his hand over one of her cheeks, hoping to give her some form of comfort. "It's okay."

"I had to," Amal disregarded Will, eyes lidded, words weak. "Had to make him happy. Needed Amir happy."

"Alright, it's okay," Will said. "Save your strength. I'll get a nurse and everything will be alright."

"Didn't want you get hurt," Amal said. "Had to get you Amir. Needed him happy. Needed you."

"What do you mean?" Will asked. "I don't understand."

"The money," Amal whispered. "The money. Used Frick. Had to. Had to."

"Okay," Will nodded, agreeing with her to make her happy. "I see."

"No," Amal denied. "My room. Go my room. Journal. You'll see. Have to see."

"I'll go," Will answered. "I will."

"Protect him, Will. Keep him away," Amal said. "Save him. Had to. I had to."

"Protect him how?" Will questioned. "What did you do?"

"You'll know," Amal insisted, eyes fluttering. "Promise me. Save him. Promise."

"I-," Will didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he could make a promise to something he didn't know. Deciding to go along with Amal, not wanting to disappoint her, Will nodded. "I promise."

"Good," Amal sighed, eyes closing. "Good. Make him happy. Good."

With that, Amal went back to sleep. At least, Will hoped it was sleep. Her heart rate monitor beeped in a steady rhythm so Will knew she was alright. He still worried that she might have slipped back into a coma, expending all her strength.

The whole event only took a few minutes. Once Will was certain Amal was out, he alerted the nurses.

The whole conversation gave Will a lot to think about. While Amal didn't come right out and say it, Will got the feeling his theories on her were correct.

 _Amal is the one that wanted me in that club. She's the one that messed with the money. It was her._

"What happened?" Amir said as he ran back into the room. "Will?"

"Your mom was up," Will admitted, seeing Amir fret. He took two to-go cups out of Amir's trembling hands.

Once Amir seemed to bother the nurses, Will pulled him back. "Just for a minute or two. She mentioned you. Said she wanted you to be happy. Then she closed her eyes again."

Will didn't think now was the time to tell Amir the truth. Will needed to follow Amal's direction and see what he would find in her room.

After a doctor assured Amir that his mother was fine, Amir settled. The doctor was certain Amal would not wake up for the rest of the day. She spent much of her energy communicating with Will.

Seeing a chance, Will grabbed Amir's wrist and squeezed. "I was thinking about going to Fairfield. Talk to Balewa about meeting with Frick. I was thinking that you could come with me. Maybe visit your mom's house, bring her some of her favorite things. Liven the room up a bit. What do you think?"

Will gave Amir a winning smile. He had it all worked out. They'd talk to Balewa and maybe even Frick. Then go to Amal's home and Will could find whatever Amal wanted him to find. He'd look it over with Amir and they'd have no secrets.

All Will had to do was get Amir to agree. Will wasn't above manipulation, though.

"Please?" Will slid his hand into Amir's, batting his lashes. Will contained his smug grin when he saw Amir's resolve slip away.

* * *

"Have you told your dad about what happened?" Will asked Amir mid-way through their drive.

"Oh," Amir adjusted his hands on the steering wheel before nodding. "Yeah, I told him. He worried but not that much," Amir sniffed, face pinched.

"What's up with your parents?" Will wondered. "They aren't together but your mom wears a ring your dad gave her."

"That's because it represents me not my father," Amir explained. "Or, at least, that's what Ammi said. My parents are…interesting. They're a lot like yours, I suppose. They loved each other once or the idea of each other. When my ammi got pregnant, she grew up a lot. They realized they worked better as friends than as mates.

"It hasn't been easy, not for me. I've never wanted them together but I wished I could spend more time with them as a family. My ammi's protective in case you didn't notice."

"I noticed," Will mumbled.

"She loves me," Amir said. "And I love her too. But she's intense about things, a lot of things."

"Sounds like my mom," Will said.

"Yeah," Amir chuckled. "Except I was never allowed to talk back to mine or argue or disrespect her in any way."

"I don't think I'd last long in your mother's house," Will acknowledged with a wry grin.

"No, you wouldn't," Amir agreed. "It wasn't like she hurt me. I was never in trouble often. But she's intimidating. Made it hard to get a boyfriend even if I wanted one."

"Did she know you were gay?" Will asked. "Mine had no clue."

"Yeah, yeah she did," Amir revealed. "I think that might have been why she was so overbearing. Wanted to protect me, ensure I never got hurt. It wasn't easy for her at first what with her religion and whatnot. But we worked through it. She hated every guy I ever had a crush on, though."

"Oh?" Will chuckled. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Does she hate me?"

Amir, cheeks flushed, tightened his grip on the wheel. "No, no she likes you."

Will could see he made Amir uncomfortable. He considered apologizing but found he didn't want to. It felt nice knowing he was appreciated.

"I kind of have a confession to make," Amir gave Will a surreptitious look.

"About what?" Will asked.

"When we met in California," Amir rushed out, "That wasn't the first time we met."

"Huh?" Will tilted his head.

"Yeah, um," Amir gave a nervous giggle. "We both competed in the same spelling bee when we were seniors. You won."

"What?" Will spat, trying to think back.

Will remembered winning the spelling bee. He didn't remember much of his competitors, though.

"What I told you before," Amir rushed out, "About seeing you and getting all tongue tied was true. Then and now or then and then, I mean, back in high school and last year. Both times. I just, you didn't remember me and I was too embarrassed to say anything."

"You liked me back then?" Will frowned.

"Yes," Amir sighed. "I thought you were super hot and watching you win the bee made you even hotter. I knew your name and that you went to Salem High but that's it. I was too nervous to even talk to you. I thought I'd never see you again. But I did. Something brought us together."

Will froze for a second, one long horrible second. "Did you tell your mom about me back then? About liking me?"

"Of course," Amir admitted. "She saw how I looked at you during the bee. Asked if I liked you and I said yes. She teased me about you especially when I didn't do much dating in college. It was always an inside joke almost. That I couldn't date anyone because they didn't live up to you. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Will muttered, rubbing his temples.

Everything began to make much more sense than it did before.

* * *

"I'll see if I can arrange a meeting," Balewa said, leaning back in his desk chair.

Will and Amir sat side by side in Balewa's office. The detective, thankful and repentant for Will's help, agreed to let Will see Frick.

"Frick and Aker both are waiting for transport to Springfield," Balewa explained. "They'll stay in the correctional facility there until a trial."

"You have plenty of evidence for a conviction?" Will asked.

"Oh, yeah," Balewa nodded. "The two will go away for a long, long time. I don't know if he'll answer any of your questions, though. What do you even want to see him for? Things for your article?"

"Oh, well that too," Will conceded having forgotten about his article for the most part. "We want to ask him about California. None of us can figure out why he cared about the movie at all."

"Huh," Balewa said. "I can see why that would annoy you. Do you think it's connected to the murders?"

"I doubt it," Amir answered. "No one died. As far as we can tell, Frick wanted to stop the production. We just don't know why."

Balewa rubbed his forehead and nodded. Will thought he looked stressed.

"How are things with you?" Will wondered. He hadn't talked to Balewa since Will's hospital visit.

"Complicated," Balewa acknowledged. "There's a lot of paperwork to do. Reports to write. Officer Washington disappeared off the face of the earth."

"What?" Will frowned.

"He ran off somewhere," Balewa said. "Haven't seen him since the day we found you. Judging by the looks you two are sharing, you're thinking what I am."

"That he was on the take?" Amir guessed.

"Yep," Balewa said. "In fact, he was the one to suggest we bring you in, Will. I wanted to question you. He thought you could help us out. Convinced me that you'd bring a lot to the investigation. He's also was the first at all the crime scenes too. For all I know he might have planted your articles just to get you involved."

"That's what we were thinking," Will said. "That someone on the inside must have known more than we all thought."

"Frick didn't know you were working for the police," Amir pointed out. "I didn't know. I thought you came on your own accord. So, Washington must have left that part out of their dealings."

"Washington might have only needed to get you there, Will," Balewa mused. "Other than this, he's been an exemplary officer. I asked Frick but he wouldn't tell me anything. In fact, all he admitted to is the murders. Wouldn't talk about Washington at all. Whenever we bring up your kidnapping he closes off. Says it wasn't his fault and he never knew anything about it."

"Yeah," Will said. "He kept insisting everything was Amal's fault. Everything's still fuzzy but I remember that."

"But he has to be bluffing, right?" Amir asked in a frantic tone. "Ammi isn't involved in this, is she?"

Will bit his lip, averting his eyes. He couldn't stand looking at Amir's wide eyes.

* * *

Will watched as the door to the Fairfield PD's lone interrogation room opened. Balewa guided Frick toward a seat across from Will and Amir. Balewa handcuffed Frick to the table and said, "Just holler when you're done."

Frick, looking a little worse for wear, looked between Amir and Will, "Kid, Beautiful."

Will and Amir both wrinkled their noses at the greeting. Will noticed Amir tensing at Frick's presence so he slipped his hand into Amir's. Their hands rested on top of shiny, metallic table in front of them. Will didn't even realize how hard it might have been for Amir to see Frick again. Frick was the reason Amal was in such terrible shape now after all.

"Why did you care about the movie?" Will questioned without preamble. He wanted this over with as soon as possible.

"What makes you think I'll tell you?" Frick gave Will a salacious smile.

"What have you got to lose?" Will shrugged. "We both know you're going away for the rest of your life. Why not satisfy my curiosity?"

"But that would make you happy," Frick said. "Keeping it a secret would make me happy. You can see my dilemma."

"You have no reason to care about that movie," Will ignored Frick. "So, why did you want to stop the production? Why send Amir?"

Frick tilted his head, eyes narrowed. After a moment, he chuckled and nodded toward their joined hands. He stared straight at Amir and said, "Looks like you got everything you wanted. Then again, he's still got his wedding ring on his finger so I guess not."

"What are you talking about?" Amir asked in a tight tone.

"Funny how that worked out, isn't it?" Frick continued. "The only one that got anything in the end of all this was you, Kid."

"What are you saying?" Amir demanded, hand squeezing Will's a little too tight. It caused Will's wedding ring to dig into his skin.

"You've always been smart. Figure it out," Frick said, lifting his eyebrows. He spared Will a glance. "As for you, I'm sure you know the answer to all your questions. You just have to think about it."

* * *

Will watched as Amir cut through yellow police tape taped across the door of Amir's childhood home. Balewa approved their visit, insisting the police finished gathering evidence. He even thought it was a nice gesture to bring Amal a few comforts from home.

"This place looks a lot nicer now," Will said as he followed Amir inside. "You know, now that I'm not gonna die or drugged up."

"It's not the biggest," Amir admitted. He motioned for Will to follow him. "But there were only two of us growing up. It's a lot for Ammi to handle by herself. I come by every week and help her keep it up."

"I like it," Will said. "In fact, this is the type of home I wanted to grow up in. I always had apartments or condos. Or mansions, I suppose."

"Plural?" Amir asked. "As in, more than one?"

"Yeah, when I was a toddler," Will explained. "My grandma Kate was with Sonny's great uncle, Victor Kiriakis. I lived with her and my dad in his mansion. I don't remember much about my time there. Other than it wasn't homey if you know what I mean. Not like this at any rate."

"What was the other time?" Amir asked.

"The DiMera mansion," Will said, "Teenage years, the first time my mom married EJ. The servants were nice but I prefer something like this. The mansion was almost more like a museum than a home. I would have loved to live somewhere like this."

"I always wanted a giant house and brothers and sisters," Amir said with a wistful tone. "That was my dream."

"Well, let me tell you," Will said, "It's not as fun as it seems. I love Johnny and Allie and Sydney, don't get me wrong. But my life got a lot more complicated with them in it."

"They're sweet," Amir offered. "Just like Ari. They all adore you."

"They like having you around too," Will nudged Amir's shoulder. "I'm pretty sure you've replaced me."

"Ha, I wish," Amir joked.

Proud he had Amir distracted, Will said, "So, what should we bring your mom?"

"All her favorites are in her room," Amir said after taking a moment to think. "Let's go."

Amir lead Will to the master bedroom and grabbed a few things to take to the hospital. Knick knacks and some of Amir's framed artwork. Anything that was small yet meaningful.

Will did his best to find the journal Amal told him about. If he found it there might be some chance that he'd get some answers.

At Amal's bedside was a nightstand with three drawers. The top drawer didn't have much in it. Nothing but a few hand and eye creams and a box of tissues. The middle drawer had a copy of the _Quran_ and a few beaded necklaces. There old pictures too. Will assumed they featured the family she left behind in Pakistan. It was in the last drawer that Will found something of interest. Hidden between a few other books was a journal made of recycled paper.

"Hey," Will called out. Amir had moved to the master bathroom to grab a few toiletries. "I found something."

Making it seem like the journal was out in plain sight, Will offered the book to Amir. "What do you think is in this?"

Amir glanced between the journal and Will for a few moments. Will could see he didn't want to invade his mother's privacy.

 _That's another way we differ,_ Will thought with a smile. Will would have no problem snooping through his mother's personal belongings.

Taking pity on Amir, Will opened the book himself. He thumbed through the pages. The book wasn't complete but it was substantial. "Hey, there's a sticky note here at the front."

Attached to the first page was a yellow post-it note. In an elegant script, the note said: _Amir, this explains everything. Always know it was out of love._

"What do you think that means?" Amir questioned in a small voice. His fingers brushed over the note, his mother's handwriting.

"I think it means your mom's not as innocent as you thought," Will murmured.

Amir pulled the book out of Will's hands and held it to his chest. "I don't think I can read this alone."

"It's okay," Will held onto Amir's bony wrist. "I'm here too."

Amir, eyes focused on his faded shoes, said, "Do you think we can go home to read it?"

"Sure," Will agreed. "Let's get your mom's stuff and go."

Will gathered everything up. He didn't even question that Amir considered the condo home.

* * *

Author's note:

The next chapter is the big reveal. Almost, if not all, will be explained. Also, as an FYI, there are only 5 chapters left.

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since the show killed off Will. My anger and hurt hasn't changed. I don't think I'm the only one.

Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

Will sliced an apple for Ari as he listened to her explain her day at preschool. After gathering everything at Amal's house, Will and Amir headed back to Salem. They had decorated Amal's small hospital room before picking up Ari from preschool.

"And I got glue eeeeeeeeeeverywhere," Ari proclaimed with a proud grin. The necklace Amir gave Will for his birthday hung around Ari's neck. She had taken to wearing it around the house.

"Oh, you did, huh?" Will chuckled. He rummaged about the cabinets until he found what he wanted, a jar of peanut butter and another of Nutella. He placed a large dollop of each on Ari's plate before handing it to her.

Ari squealed when she saw the Nutella and jogged to the couch. She plopped next to Amir and held her plate under his nose. "I get choc-o-late!"

"You have to eat the peanut butter too," Will warned her as he sat in a lush armchair.

"Oh, alright," Ari said with what Will thought was a bit too much attitude for someone her age.

Amir, holding Amal's journal in his lap, smiled at Ari but said nothing.

Ari chomped on her apples, face smeared with hazel-nutty goodness and turned on the TV. She couldn't read or write but she knew how to work a remote.

"You okay?" Will asked Amir.

"I don't know," Amir rubbed his face. "I don't want to read this but then again I do. I'm dreading it and looking forward to it at the same time."

"No, I think I know what you mean," Will said after considering it. "You don't want to find out your mom was a part of all this but at the same time, you want to know the truth. When do you want to read it?"

"Soon, get it over with," Amir decided. "I think we should wait for your mom to get home and your dad. It'll be easier than having to explain it to them. That way we all know the truth."

"Oh, well, that's a good idea," Will acknowledged. "Nice of you too."

"It's also easier than trying to keep Sami out of the loop," Amir said with a resigned tone.

"That's true," Will said. "I don't know when my parents will be back. Did you want to go back and sit with your mom?"

"No," Amir stated. "Not until I know everything. Not until I know the truth."

"Alright," Will said. "In that case, you can help me figure out something for dinner."

"You mean, I'll make dinner and you'll watch?" Amir asked with a shrewd eye.

"Yes," Will stood up and clapped Amir on the back. "I'm glad you're catching on."

* * *

Amir hustled about the kitchen as Will handled homework duty. Books, papers, and pencils covered the entire dining room table. Despite himself, Will couldn't believe how much homework the twins received every night. Sydney too considering she was only seven years old.

Ari had no homework of her own but wanted to feel included. So, she sat at the table and practiced writing her name. She showed off her masterpiece to everyone in the house. She refused to move on until every single person praised her.

Sami and Lucas were out and weren't answering their phones. In fact, Will wasn't even sure what his mother did when she left the house. Wreaking havoc of some kind, he reckoned. He had the sneaking suspicion the two might have been together which left him feeling apprehensive.

Sami and Lucas reached a new stage in their friendship. Will would hate for that to disappear if they hooked up together again. Not to mention the mess it would create with Adrienne.

Will vowed to stay out of it. He had stuck his nose in someone else's business for the last time. For now, he planned to lead a nice somewhat normal life. Or as normal as he could get in Salem.

An hour later, once dinner was on the table, Sami and Lucas showed up with Marlena in tow.

"Who wants to have a sleepover with Grandma?" Marlena asked as soon as she walked inside.

A cacophony of sound echoed throughout the room. Despite how excited all four children were, Will didn't want to let Ari go. He didn't like her out of his sight after the kidnapping. The only time they spent apart was when Ari attended school. Even though Ari seemed fine with little to no side effects, Will worried.

"I go?" Ari asked while pulling on Will's arm. "Daddy, Daddy, I has sleepover!"

With the crystal chandelier reflecting off Ari's bright eyes, Will couldn't say no. "Alright, baby."

"Yay," Ari yelled, throwing her arms up in the air and running around the table.

"Have fun calming that down at bedtime," Will told his grandma with a sardonic grin.

Marlena wrapped her arm around Will's shoulder. She dragged his head down so she could kiss his forehead with a loud smack. "I happen to be an expert in lulling children to sleep. In fact, I seem to recall a stubborn little boy that always crawled out of bed at night. One that thought no one would notice when he peeked his cute little blond head around the couch to watch TV."

Will shrugged, leaning into her familiar warmth. "I didn't like missing out by going to bed."

"No, you didn't," Marlena agreed. "Which is why I'd always carry you back to bed and read you to sleep. Do you remember what story we'd read?"

Will screwed his face up in concentration. " _The Giving Tree_?"

"Yep," Marlena rubbed her hand up and down Will's arm before letting go. "I still keep our copy on a shelf in the guest room. Now, I can try it out on my great-grandbaby."

"I always thought that was bullshit," Sami declared. Lucas ushered the kids off to their rooms to pack otherwise Sami wouldn't have cursed. With a grumpy look on her face, she said, "Never once have any of my children read a story and gone to sleep for me. They all cried and argued and fought the entire time."

"Well, it's different with moms," Marlena insisted. "Grandmas are special. I can smother them and spoil them and send them back to you when I get tired."

"Gee," Will snorted, "Thanks."

"You know what I mean," Marlena waved her hand in dismissal. "You'll enjoy it one day too."

"I do not want to think about grandchildren," Will said with a panicked look.

"Well, you know," Lucas, returning to the dining room, said, "If Ari followed in yours and Sami's footsteps, she'd end up having a baby at the age of-,"

"Shut up!" Will yelled with his hands over his ears. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Lucas cackled as Sami punched him in the arm.

Amir, standing a little to the side, looked torn between a smile and a grimace. Spotting Amir, Will gestured him over.

"Nothing like your family, right?" Will asked, still trying to get the image of his daughter having a baby out of his head.

"As far removed from my family as possible, I'd say," Amir admitted.

* * *

Once the kids raced back into the room, everyone sat down for dinner. Amir, while no culinary genius, knew his way around the kitchen. He grew up eating traditional Pakistani cuisine. Tonight, he made a simple kebab and vegetable dish.

After dinner, Marlena gathered all four children and headed to her own condo a few blocks away. Will attacked Ari with kisses before she left.

"I'll miss you," Will told Ari over and over, following her to the elevator.

"Daaaaaady," Ari whined. "Sleepover."

"I can't help it," Will puckered his lower lip. "You're my baby."

"Here," Ari pulled the necklace she wore over her head. She handed it to Will. "Now can't miss Ari!"

Will smiled despite how uncomfortable he felt. He put the necklace on without a thought and moved back inside when the elevator doors closed.

Put out that Ari didn't mind spending the night away from him, Will took a while before he could think of much else.

"Don't pout," Sami said with an eye roll. "You're the only parent I know that balks at the thought of a night to himself."

"I like spending time with my baby," Will defended with a pointed look. "Unlike some parents."

"Let's just remember what parent of yours moved to the other side of the world when you were young," Sami sniffed. "It wasn't me."

"Okay," Lucas intervened. "That's enough of that. Did you find out anything today?"

"Yeah," Will said, glancing at Amir out of the corner of his eye. "We found out a lot."

Will explained their trip to Fairfield. The conversation with Balewa and their assumptions about Officer Washington's interference. The talk with Frick and what they found at Amal's house.

"So, you think this journal is going to tell us what we want to know?" Lucas asked. The journal was in the middle of the dining room table. Lucas stared at it as if it was a dangerous artifact he didn't know what to do with.

"I'm pretty confident," Will said. He still hadn't told anyone of his conversation with Amal.

"Alright," Sami said. When no one grabbed the journal, she did. Opening it up, Sami cleared her throat and began to read.

The journal started when Amal learned Amir was in California and reunited with Will. The last entry was the day before Will and Ari's kidnapping.

It took a long time and Sami had to pause for several drinks of water but they knew the truth. It wasn't pretty.

Amal knew how much Amir wished he had talked to Will at the spelling bee years before. She knew her son regretted it and thought back to the cute blond boy he thought he'd never see again often. For a few years, the concept of Will Horton had been almost a joke between them. A perfect ideal Amir compared every other male he met to. Amal teased her son over his hopeless crush. When she discovered Amir met Will again and was working with him, she became interested.

Amir discussed Will at length to Amal. Telling her how kind Will was while they worked together. How loving Will was with his daughter and siblings. How intelligent, how funny, how his smile brightened a room, and his eyes looked like starlight. The more Amir talked, the clearer it became that he had fallen hard and fast. His once hopeless crush seemed like such a possibility now.

Amal, thrilled her son had found someone worthy of him, encouraged Amir to tell Will his feelings. Amir let Will go without talking to him once, Amal couldn't let another opportunity slip by. Amal loved her son but wasn't blind to his faults. She didn't trust that Amir had it in him to pursue Will the way that was necessary. Yes, Amal knew about Will's marriage and his child but that didn't stop her. To Amal, nothing was more important than her son's happiness. Amal knew Amir, despite his flaws, would be a wonderful match for any young man. Will Horton should feel lucky her son had such strong feelings for him. Besides, Will having a daughter would fill her own selfish desire for grandchildren.

Determined to help Amir, Amal researched everything she could about Will. What she found made it easy for her to do what was necessary. First, Amal took over Will's checking account. She rerouted his direct deposit checks into an older account. Because of the access she had to Will's bank accounts, she learned everything she needed. Telephone number, email account, address, anything and everything she could use.

Armed with Will's cell phone and social security number, Amal could do almost anything. The first of which involved interfering with Will's banking app on his phone and his IPad. Through them, Amal was able to download spyware and monitor Will's every move. On top of that, Amal found a way to block Will from receiving certain calls, texts, and even emails.

Amal didn't want to go over the top in her sabotage. She only wanted to hinder Will's life at home while he was in California. She thought if Will believed no one at home missed him, he would gravitate towards Amir.

Not satisfied with leaving things to chance, Amal went one step further. Besides learning information on Will, she learned things about his husband, Sonny. She installed the same program on his phone and laptop, that she put on Will's. Only Sonny was older than Will, more experienced. Amal learned things about Sonny that she doubted anyone else in the world realized.

A look into Sonny's back financials gave her all the information she could ever need. Before Sonny lived in Salem, he lived in San Francisco. During that time, he received several money transfers from another bank customer, Paul Narita.

Putting two and two together, Amal examined the bank's information on Paul. That led to several charges at an orthopedic specialist's office. Rooting through Paul's own media devices, Amal discovered Paul injured himself and needed surgery. Being a well-known sports star, Amal figured he would want a nice, private location. She knew if she nudged Paul in Salem's direction, good things would happen. With Will in LA and communication lacking, Amal assumed nature might take its course.

A foolish notion, Amal admitted especially when Will ended up fired. Her decision to bring Paul to Salem proved even worse when it was Will that slept with him and not Sonny. As well as forgetting all about Amir.

Feeling useless, Amal backed away. She already meddled enough and made everything worse. She didn't plan on doing anything again. Amir would never need to know what she did. She planned on leaving Amir's love life well enough alone. That was before she found out the truth.

Keith Frick had bothered her son for years. Manipulated Amir for his own benefit. That Frick brought Amir to California, not an art internship like Amir told her. Amir worked with Will on a movie, a movie about Samantha Brady. Amal knew Frick had no interest in that. But she knew someone who did care.

Amal knew what must have been happening, who must be in charge.

Once Amal learned all that, her determination to make her son happy returned. She checked in on Will Horton and learned his husband had left him. It was the perfect opportunity for Amal to continue what she started in California.

After getting fired, Will must have felt like a failure. Sleeping with Paul must have left him feeling cheap. With his electronic devices under Amal's control still, Will couldn't communicate. Without money, Will couldn't survive. With the leasing agent from Will's apartment dealt with, Will wouldn't have a home. A bribe to Officer Washington would bring Will to Fairfield. Curiosity would lead Will to the club and Amir. Amir who would never let Will around a man like Keith Frick.

Will would be alone, isolated. Ready to cling to the first person Amal knew would shower Will with attention and affection.

A lot ended up left to chance. The timing of the murders couldn't have gone better. The fact that Balewa took Will under his wing created a stronger need in Will to learn the truth. The more Will put himself in danger, the more Amir would prevent it.

Amal's journal wrapped up at the kidnapping. Aker and Monroe had been under Amal's control for quite some time. When Aker escaped the police, he came straight to her. Together, the two hatched the plot to kidnap Will and his daughter. No harm was to come to them. Aker would use some of the drugs Frick acquired but not enough to hurt Will. Everything would get placed at Frick's feet, cementing his life-long stay in prison.

No one said anything for a long while after Sami finished reading. Everything seemed to hit them, the brevity of the situation, the lengths Amal went to.

From what everyone understood, Amal did not anticipate Frick's behavior during the kidnapping. She didn't count on getting attacked and brought to the basement with Will. She didn't anticipate Amir's arrival. That her timid son would attack the man, that she would jump into the struggle as well.

No one was to get hurt least of all Amal herself.

Sami flipped through the journal, searching for a few lines she didn't understand at the time.

"'After finding out what Frick had done'," Sami read, "'I knew everything I believed was a lie. The promises he made to protect our son were lies. The vow to keep Amir out of that lifestyle, to protect him, was false. I went to him, angrier than I had ever been. Looking into his face, I couldn't see any bit of the man I once loved. How I loved someone such as him I'll never know.

"His new promises meant nothing to me. He knew I'd only accept one form of penance, our son's happiness. He gave me his faithful spies and bid them do what I say. Frick, he assured me, had no idea. No one did. No one knew Amir's father was not a simple businessman from Springfield. I prayed no one ever would.'"

Will thought over the words. For a few moments, Will thought maybe Frick was Amir's father but that didn't fit. Amal said Frick had no idea, no one did.

 _Why wouldn't Amal want Amir to know who his father was? If he's not a businessman who is he? And why would he care about Mom's movie?_

… _Oh. Oh no._

Will could see the understanding on his parent's faces. This went farther than any of them feared. Will turned a panicked eye to Amir. Amir, it appeared, didn't realize the implications behind Amal's words. Why would he? He grew up in Fairfield. Sure, Will explained life in Salem to him a few times but that didn't mean he understood.

Amir had no idea how dangerous the situation was about to become.

"What?" Amir whispered when he saw everyone staring at him. "I didn't know any of this. I didn't!"

"We believe you," Sami said with a small smile. "We're not accusing you. It's just, that page I reread, it doesn't mean anything to you?"

"Why would it?" Amir asked. "I always suspected there was something about my father my ammi wished to keep from me. She controlled all our visits, controlled everything. But he's older now, sicker. He can't travel to see me so I have to go to Springfield to see him. But why does that matter? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Will and Sami caught each other's gazes for a few moments, unsure how to proceed.

"Amir, sweetie," Sami said in a gentle tone, "We think your father might be-,"

 _Knock Knock Knock_

"I'll deal with it," Lucas said, rushing from his seat.

"As I was saying," Sami reached across the table. She took Amir's hand and squeezed, "We think-,"

"I'm sorry, Lucas," Adrienne Kirakis' voice rang throughout the condo. "But we have to come in."

Will watched as Adrienne and Sonny shouldered their way past a protesting Lucas.

"Will!" Sonny shouted, almost running to his side. Sonny had a frantic look on his face; eyes alight with something wild and foreign. "I found it! I knew I could find my proof and I did. It's all right here. All of it."

Sonny threw a large manila folder on the dining room table in front of Will.

"Adrienne, please," Lucas said, "We're in the middle of something private."

"I bet you are," Adrienne sneered, looking between Sami and Amir with equal amounts of distaste. "There's no need anyway. We found out his little secret. He tried to keep it buried but we uncovered it."

"Uncovered what?" Will asked, mouth dry.

"What are you talking about?" Amir said.

"This," Sonny pulled an important looking document out of the folder. "I had to dig deep but I found it. Maybe this will change your mind about your little friend."

Sonny dangled the paper in front of Will's face. Will snatched it out of his hand and read it over. It was a birth certificate, Amir's birth certificate.

Will's stomach sank. He felt like he swallowed something large and painful. He looked up at his mother and nodded before passing the paper to Amir. Will didn't know what to say. Didn't know where to look. Didn't know if he wanted to witness this.

"This isn't right," Amir said after a few moments. "That's not my father's name."

"That's what we tried to tell you," Sami said. "From what your mother wrote, we thought it was a strong possibility."

"That's not, no," Amir denied. "It's not possible."

Sami gave Will a pleading look. With a great amount of trepidation, Will cleared his throat. "Amir, it's true."

"No, it's not," Amir blinked several times. "My mother didn't-she wouldn't-my life isn't-," Amir couldn't finish his thoughts.

"It's okay," Will whispered even though he knew it wasn't. "It'll be okay."

"Nothing is ever going to be okay," Amir insisted, face growing red.

"I told you I wasn't behind this," Sonny couldn't resist interrupting.

"Not now," Will pleaded. Didn't Sonny understand how delicate a situation this was?

"Why not?" Sonny demanded. "I'm your husband! I've always been your husband! And I'm not going to throw that away because of some stupid spawn of Ste-,"

"My father is not Stefano DiMera," Amir interjected. He stood up, chair knocking to the floor behind him. "He isn't."

Before anyone could stop him, Amir was out the front door. He had left.

* * *

Author's note:

Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

Will sat in a stunned silence staring at the front door. The front door Amir slammed shut after the news. Will couldn't make sense of it. It was too much to process at one time.

Will could hear voices around him but they sounded muffled. It felt like Will was underwater, desperate to break the surface with no help in sight. He didn't know he was standing until someone grabbed his shoulders and shoved him into a seat.

The dining room chair was soft underneath him, strong. It was all Will could focus on, the plush warmth.

Two large hands covered Will's cheeks, forcing his face up. Familiar brown eyes gazed at Will. Eyes Will once could lose himself in for hours. Eyes Will found hard to look into at all these days.

"See," Sonny said, thumbs swirling up and down Will's cheeks. "I told you'd I'd figure everything out."

Will blinked, eyebrows crinkling.

"Give it a rest," Sami said as she smacked Sonny's hands off of Will. "Hey," Sami demanded Will's attention. "You alright?"

"I guess so," Will answered in a shaky voice. "It just seems so hard to believe."

"Yeah," Sami agreed. Behind her, Will could see Lucas and Adrienne sharing a tense conversation. "I had my suspicions about everything but it wasn't that."

"We should have guessed," Lucas said as he stepped away from Adrienne. "It always comes down to a DiMera."

Sami cleared her throat and gave Lucas a withering glare. Holding up his hands, Lucas amended, "Stefano DiMera. You know I love your little ones."

"Thank you," Sami said with a sniff. "You know I refuse to let them grow up under that stigma. Anyway, you're right, for once."

Lucas rolled his eyes and placed his hand on Sami's shoulder. Will could see Adrienne zeroing in on the motion.

"I'm pretty impressed Amal was able to keep Amir out of that life for so long," Sami acknowledged. "I hate her but I'm impressed."

Sonny snorted, arms crossed tight against his chest. "You can't tell me he didn't know."

Will turned to look at Sonny. Adrienne moved to stand at his side. Will felt trapped. He sat in his chair with Lucas and Sami on one side of him, Sonny and Adrienne on the other.

"I agree," Adrienne said causing Sami to roll her eyes so fast Will thought they might pop out of her head. "I think it's rather obvious the boy pretended all this time. He kept it a secret to infiltrate."

"Infiltrate what?" Sami demanded. "Amir hasn't done anything. Just like you two don't know anything. Amir didn't do anything wrong."

"And how would you know?" Adrienne hissed.

"Because I happen to trust him," Sami answered.

"Oh, well, that's the end of that," Adrienne mocked. "Sami Brady's judgment is never wrong."

"That's Sami DiMera to you," Sami said in a low voice. When she took a step forward, Lucas grabbed her by the upper arm.

"Ladies, can we not?" Lucas asked. "This isn't the time or the place."

"Right," Sonny agreed. "You need to look at this," Sonny slid Will the folder he brought.

"I don't need to look," Will pushed it away from him.

"Yes, you do," Sonny insisted. When Will turned away from him, Sonny opened it himself. "Look, records from the bank and the cell phone company. It proves that someone interfered with us. That's why we could never talk."

Will covered his face with his hands. He slumped forward in his chair, forehead smacking on the table. It hit him, what this all meant.

"Will?" Sonny asked, kneeling down beside him. "Did you hear what I said?"

"We already knew that!" Sami yelled.

"What? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Sonny argued. "I have a right to know. It's my life too!"

"We just found out," Lucas said. "And would you stop screaming, both of you?"

The four of them began arguing but Will didn't hear them. He was too engrossed in his own thoughts, the reality of his situation.

 _Everything in my life for the last year was contrived, everything._

Amal Paracha preordained everything Will went through. She did everything in her power to make Will feel alone and unwanted. She brought him down so low that he would have no choice but to turn to Amir.

 _Some of my problems with Sonny, Amal created. She took my marriage, my sense of worth and did all she could to destroy it. And I let her. I believed everything that happened was real. I thought Sonny would leave me and Ari like we were nothing. I thought he forgot me, that he never wanted to see me again. I believed he was capable of that. I didn't even try to fight it, not after so long._

 _How I can I trust that anything is real anymore? How do I trust what I feel at all? Everything with Sonny, with Amir, it wasn't real. Amal conceived it. Amal made it that way. How can I trust what I feel, what I know?_

Will didn't know what to think or feel. He did believe that Sonny had done those things. He thought his husband, his Sonny, could be so cruel. Was that because of Amal's manipulations or because of Will? How could Will ever discover the truth behind his own thoughts and feelings?

 _And Amir, how do I know we're that close? How do I know that I care or that he cares? How do I know it wasn't just the circumstances that brought us together? How do I know it wasn't some terrible plot Amal and Amir hatched together?_

It seemed so extreme. Why would Amal go to such lengths to get her son a boyfriend? Especially when it was with a guy Amir didn't know well at all. All because of a crush from years ago with a guy Amir never even had the nerve to talk to. Why would things get so out of control for that?

 _Isn't that what Mom would do, though? Wouldn't she go to extreme lengths for something that seemed so pointless?_ _Didn't_ _I spend my whole life around this type of behavior? This type of insistence. This type of arrogance and entitlement that rendered all other's beneath them._

 _Amal didn't care who got hurt as long as her plan succeeded in the end. She ruined how many lives? Three men are dead, three are in jail, and Amal might not even survive. My relationship with Sonny is in tatters. I don't know what's going to happen to Amir. All for what? Because Amir had a crush? Who would do something like this?_

From what he knew and what the journal said, Will didn't feel like Amal was evil. Misguided, yes, but her intentions seemed good enough. She wanted to ensure her son's happiness. Will appreciated that. He knew he'd do whatever he could for Ari. But why would Amal go so far? Why risk her life, her career, her relationship with her son? All on the off chance that her plan would work.

 _It doesn't sound like something she would do. It sounds like something Stefano would do._

Will knew Frick had no interest in his mother's movie, Stefano did. Stefano wanted to halt production and used Frick to do it. The studio executive's bribe must have come from Stefano.

 _Who sent Amir to LA? Was it Frick or was it done on Stefano's orders? Did Amir ever tell Stefano about the crush he had on me in high school? Did Stefano plot the whole thing?_

It seemed outlandish but like something Stefano would do. Didn't Stefano get everything in the end?

 _Production on the movie ended. Amal's out of the way. Amir's in Salem. Without Frick, Stefano must have control of Fairfield. And Mom and the kids moved back to Salem._

Will wondered just how far Stefano's influence reached. Wondered if Stefano had somehow counted on everyone to play their part to get to this moment.

 _Could he have predicted this, though? Or was it pure happenstance?_

Will didn't know. He might never know. All he knew was the pain he felt over Sonny. The reassurances he gained from Amir's friendship, that couldn't go away. Nor could he ignore the truth.

While everyone else argued, Will agonized. What was real and what wasn't?

Will might have ruminated the entire night if he didn't hear his phone go off in the other room. He recognized the ring tone. It was Grandma Marlena's song.

 _Ari,_ Will thought as he pushed from his seat. He rushed to the kitchen to grab his phone. "Hello?" Will answered.

"Daddy," Ari's voice came over the phone. She sniffled a few times before saying, "I miss you."

"Oh," Will felt something warm and gooey fill his insides. He hated sending Ari away for the night. He hated how she didn't seem to need him at all. "Baby girl, it's okay. I thought you wanted to have fun with Grandma Marlena."

"Need you," Ari whined in a high-pitched, breathy voice. "Can't sleep w'out you."

"Sure you can," Will said. "You and Sydney and Allie and Johnny are gonna sleep in the living room. And you'll get to giggle and stay up late. I bet Grandma's already baking you something sugary you don't need."

"Yeah?" Ari asked.

"Yep," Will insisted. "You'll have so much fun and sleep so hard. In the morning, Grandma will make Mickey Mouse pancakes and bacon. I bet if you ask real nice she'll give you sprinkles and whipped cream. Doesn't that sound good?"

"Uh-huh," Ari said. "But I miss you."

"I miss you too," Will promised. "I always miss you. And it's okay to miss me too. You can miss me and still have fun. It'll make when we're together special, well, even more special. Okay?"

"Okay," Ari sniffled again. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too," Will smiled. It didn't matter how many time he heard that, it still made his day. "You go have fun, okay? I love you."

"Bye, Daddy," Ari said.

A few seconds later, Marlena came on the line. "Sorry about that. Someone is a little daddy's girl."

"That's okay," Will said. "In fact, I think that's just what I needed to hear. Thanks, Grandma."

* * *

Will huddled in a warm jacket out on the terrace. It was expansive with views of almost the whole town. From Horton Town Square to the edge of the forest. From his vantage point, Salem appeared large but Will knew it was small. So small that everyone knew everyone else. It was hard to keep secrets for long. But somehow the past year of his life was one big secret. One he didn't know how to get over.

How could he go on as if the past year never happened? He couldn't just pick up the pieces and move on. Most of the past year might not have been real but it felt real. Will experienced it, the ups and downs. The lies and broken truths. He couldn't ignore the past year. He didn't know how.

The sliding glass door behind Will opened. Sonny walked out.

"Hey," Sonny said, shoving his hands in his coat pockets.

"Hi," Will said, leaning against the icy rail.

"Wow," Sonny gasped, "It's beautiful up here. I didn't realize it would show this much of the town."

"It's no City of Lights," Will mumbled.

"No," Sonny said, moving closer to Will. "But Salem has its charms."

"Right," Will closed his eyes, bowing his head.

"Paris is beautiful. There's nowhere else like it," Sonny admitted. "Salem has something going for it that Paris never did."

Will turned to look at Sonny.

"Paris doesn't have you," Sonny said. "I know that things have been hard for us. Almost the entirety of our marriage but I love you. That's never changed."

"It feels like it has," Will confessed. "Everything's different. This whole year, everything changed."

"But that wasn't our fault," Sonny pressed. "Things were outside our control. But now we can get back to how things used to be, how things should be."

"I can't just forget what happened," Will shook his head. "I can't forget any of it."

"None of it was real," Sonny insisted. "Someone was messing with your head, trying to manipulate you. It wasn't real."

"It felt real," Will said. "Maybe someone pulled a few strings but the way I feel, I felt, that was all me."

"No, it wasn't," Sonny argued. "None of this would have happened without that woman interfering. None of it."

"And Paul?" Will asked, crossing his arms. "Do you want me to just forget that? Forget what you feel for him? Forget what I did with him?"

"That's different," Sonny muttered.

"Of course it is," Will let out a harsh, watery chuckle. "Of course, Paul's always going to be different for you. What's the point of this? What's the point when Paul's always going to be there?"

"Who cares about Paul? I can't change that he's here," Sonny said. "I can't change anything that's happened. I want to be with you. Why isn't that enough?"

"Because I've heard it before," Will answered. "I've heard you time and again say that you're committed to me. Well, your words and your actions have never matched, Sonny. Not when it comes to Paul. So, no, that isn't enough.

"You want to forget everything that happened. You want to pretend it wasn't real but we lived through it. I lived through it. I can't just go back to the way things were. That won't fix anything. Because I'll know. I'll know what I felt and I'll know how we treated each other.

"I cheated on you, Sonny. I lied and I manipulated and you couldn't stand me. You acted like I was the biggest burden. That you were stuck with me. And you left. You didn't give me any warning. You treated me like I was not worthy of your attention before and after you left. And I'm sorry but I refuse to go back to that. I refuse to go back to sitting around like your stupid little pet while you pant around after Paul."

"That isn't fair," Sonny said. "I didn't know what to do."

"Yes, you did," Will glared. "If you couldn't forgive me, if you wanted Paul, you should have left me. Instead, you treated me like crap. You pushed and pushed because you knew I'd break. You knew I'd fight and make things worse and you did it anyway. What I did wasn't right but you don't get to act like you didn't know what you were doing."

"I didn't want to hurt you," Sonny said.

"Well, you did," Will said. "Over and over and you knew it. You can act as innocent as you want but I know you better than that. You wanted to hurt me for cheating on you. But more than that, you wanted to hurt me for cheating with Paul. Because that's what it comes down to. I slept with Paul and you didn't."

"Yeah, Will, you did," Sonny argued, face contorting. "You're the one that cheated not me."

"Just because you didn't sleep with him doesn't mean you didn't cheat," Will insisted. "Because you did. You did in every single way except physically. I might have made my mistakes but at least I can admit them. I know what I did. I know that I hurt you. But you're standing there yet again acting like a sanctimonious asshole."

"What do you want me to do? Huh?" Sonny threw his arms up in the air. "If I wanted to be with Paul, I could be. But I'm here, with you. I've spent my days investigating what happened. I'm trying to do the right thing and you still aren't happy. What's the problem now? I wasn't here and you weren't happy. I'm here and you aren't happy. What's it going to take? You're the one that ruined our relationship. Why am I the only one fighting to keep it?"

Will looked at Sonny for a few brief moments, shaking his head. "You don't get it, Sonny. And you never will."

"What?" Sonny demanded. "Is it because of that freak with a crush? He's a DiMera, Will! Everything to do with him was a lie."

"My brother and sister happen to be DiMera's," Will said with a frosty tone. "Your best friend happens to be one too. You're a Kiriakis. You helped run Victor's European activities. I don't think you're in any position to judge. And you don't even know Amir. He's not like Stefano."

"Get real," Sonny scoffed. "He played you. Everything was a lie. He's just a creep that's obsessed with you."

"Amir didn't know anything," Will said through clenched teeth. He believed it too. The more he thought about it, the truer it seemed. Amir didn't know about any of this. He didn't know who Stefano was. He didn't know what Amal was scheming.

"Then he's a lot stupider than he looks," Sonny said.

"You mean, I'm stupider than I look?" Will narrowed his eyes. "Don't you?"

"I didn't say that," Sonny replied. "But if the shoe fits! How can you believe any of that crap? Why would you want to be around someone like that?"

"His mom did whatever she could to make him happy," Will insisted. "Was it right? No, but that's not his fault."

"Oh my God," Sonny shook his head. "What? Because she's Sami Jr. you think it's fine? Is that it? All that crap about me and Paul was bullshit. You don't want things to work between us because of that-that-,"

"Don't you dare finish that thought," Will threatened. "I don't know how to fix things between us. That isn't Amir's fault. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"Well, keeping him around isn't going to fix us," Sonny said. "Because I don't want him anywhere near you."

"You didn't care how I felt with Paul," Will lifted one brow. "It's interesting, isn't it? You don't care how you treat me but God forbid I do the same to you."

"Paul was going through a tough time! His entire life was changing with his father and-" Sonny said.

"And that's what Amir is going through now," Will interrupted. "His father is not who he thought. His mother is in the hospital. His entire life was a lie."

"You didn't want me around Paul and I didn't care," Sonny said. "So, why are you doing the same thing? Why?"

"I don't know!" Will yelled. "Maybe because I want you to feel everything you put me through. Or maybe I didn't realize that's what I was doing until right now. Or maybe because I know if I keep Amir around, he'll act as a buffer. A buffer between the two of us and I won't have to decide or do anything. Isn't that what you did? Don't you at least understand what I'm feeling?"

Sonny looked at Will for a few moments before groaning. He yanked at his hair and stomped his feet a few times. "Why can't we just agree to fix things?"

"How?" Will wondered. "When was the last time we had a real conversation? How do we move on from what happened? How do we go back to what we had? Can we?"

"I'd like to think so," Sonny said.

"When was the last time we laughed together?" Will leaned back on the railing with a deep sigh. "Kissed each other? Spent the day getting lost in each other? I can't even remember."

"Either can I," Sonny admitted. He joined Will at the railing, standing close.

The two stood together in silence. Enjoying the light, child breeze wafting off the river.

"How's Ari?" Sonny asked after a time.

"Good," Will said, "She loves living with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney."

"Good, that's good," Sonny nodded. "I know I haven't been much of a father to her the past few months. I know that she deserves better. That you deserve better."

"So do you," Will said. "I haven't been the husband you deserve either. I haven't for a long time."

Sonny opened and closed his mouth a few times before saying, "I don't think I ever forgave you for the cheating, not really."

Will pressed his lips together. His left hand went to his neck, fiddling with the necklace. The symbol of the deathly hallows pressed tight in his palm.

It wasn't news to him. He knew Sonny harbored his hurt, his resentment, and anger still. Perhaps a part of him always would.

Will grew up amidst infidelity. It infected every couple he knew. He promised himself that would never be him. That he'd never hurt someone that way. That he'd never put anyone through that pain, that humiliation. That he would never go through it either. But here he was.

Will had become what he reviled most. What hope did Will have of Sonny forgiving him if he couldn't forgive himself?

His grip on the necklace shifted, digging the symbol into his wedding ring.

"What's that?" Sonny asked, eyes on Will's hand.

"Birthday present," Will mumbled, letting it go. "Ari has it most of the time but she lent it to me tonight."

"Who gave it to you?" Sonny whispered. He sounded as if he already knew.

Will took a deep breath and exhaled. "Amir."

"Oh," Sonny bowed his head, staring over the edge of the balcony.

The two stood side-by-side but neither had ever felt further apart.

"I love you," Sonny said after a few moments. "I've always loved you. But we aren't okay."

"I know," Will agreed, tears prickling his eyes.

"We've lost almost everything that made us, us," Sonny said. "The only way to get it all back is to start at the beginning. We always worked best when friendship was the cornerstone of our relationship."

"Right," Will said, licking his lips. "So, we start at the beginning again, work on our friendship."

"Yes," Sonny agreed with a sigh. "I do love you. I always will."

"I'm in love with you too," Will sniffed, rubbing his hand under his nose. "That's what makes this so hard."

* * *

Author's note:

I couldn't see Will or Sonny just jumping back into things. Even without Amir or Paul to complicate things, too many things have happened. They need to get back to their basics to see if they can repair their relationship.

Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

"Hey," Sami said as she stepped out into the chilly night air. She huddled close to Will on the balcony. "Sonny just left. You wanna tell me what happened?"

"We talked," Will shrugged.

"About?" Sami pressured.

"Us, what happened, life and the world around us," Will sighed. He turned to look at Sami, desolate look in his eyes. "We're gonna start with friends and see what happens."

"Alright," Sami said, face betraying nothing. "How do you feel about that?"

"I feel…confused," Will admitted. "I don't know. I just-I thought-I mean-I-I didn't-I don't know," Will closed his eyes.

The sliding glass door opened once more and Lucas stepped out. "Here," Lucas gave both Will and Sami a mug of steaming hot chocolate. "I know how both your hands turn to icicles."

Sami smiled, bringing her mug up to her nose. "You remember that time we tried to teach Will to ice skate?"

"You mean when you two argued the whole time? When it took ten minutes for you to realize I got lost?" Will narrowed his eyes.

"And we found you in a snowbank with your legs straight in the air," Lucas laughed. "It was not ten minutes, maybe ten seconds. Don't exaggerate."

"Anyway," Sami said before Will could speak again. "Afterward your dad bought us hot chocolates and we all sat in the backseat of the car under a blankie."

"That part was nice," Will agreed with a small amount of reluctance.

"It was great," Lucas said.

Will noticed the starry-eyed looks his parents were sharing and cleared his throat.

"Right," Sami shook her head. "So, you and Sonny. I don't know if I approve."

"I don't know either," Lucas said. "I've been helping him but I don't know if I trust him. I'm nervous he's only acting like this because of Amir."

"What do you mean?" Will almost took a sip but lowered his mug at Lucas' words.

"I don't doubt he loves you," Lucas said. "I just think, if it wasn't for Amir's presence in your life, Sonny would still be in Paris, ignoring you."

"That's true," Sami nodded. "Sonny up and left you and Ari without any warning. He left and you were the last to know. He had plenty of chances to come back and he didn't. He only came back because Babe Ruth told him to."

Will's lips quirked at the nickname. If only his mom knew the alias Paul used at the Salem Inn a year ago.

"I won't tell you what to do," Sami said which caused both Will and Lucas to choke on their drinks. "Oh, shut up. I won't tell you what to do but you shouldn't start anything with Sonny unless he forgives you. There's no point in it if he thinks you're going to cheat again."

"And you shouldn't start anything if you think you might," Lucas added. "Not that I think you will but unless your heart's focused only on Sonny, I think you should leave things alone."

"I haven't decided anything," Will said. "We're gonna try the whole friend's thing. Or standing in the same room without screaming at each other."

"And Amir?" Sami asked with a pointed look. "How does he fit in all this?"

"How does he fit in what?" Will evaded, taking a drink to avoid the question.

"He's in love with you," Sami said. "And I'm pretty sure you feel something too. Despite everything, all the lies and manipulations, I don't think you can walk away."

Will turned back to stare out across the skyline. Salem wasn't large. Just a few glittering buildings dotted here and there. The most prominent was the DiMera Enterprise high rise. It wasn't a true high rise but by Salem's standards, it towered over everything else.

 _Looming over us_ , Will thought, hands gripping his mug tight. _How far is Stefano's reach?_

 _How did Amir not know the truth? How could he think someone like Stefano was good?_

Will recalled the times Amir mentioned his father. Aloof but present. Amir's strong desire to make the man proud, to prove his worth.

"I don't know what's real anymore," Will confessed, licking his chapped lips. "The past year, everything conspired so I'd end up alone. Alone with no one but Amir around to trust. What if it only happened because of that? What if I only get along with Amir because I had no one else?"

"I don't think that's true," Sami said. "The past week, I've watched the two of you. Predestined or not, I think you'd like one another. Just think about California. You got along so well. The kids love him. Ari adores him. He's a sweet kid despite his father. I don't know if we should blame him for what his mother did."

"And let's get real," Lucas said, sparing Sami a short glance out of the corner of his eye. "What Amal Paracha did was right out of the Sami Brady playbook." When Sami's lips curled and her face turned red, Lucas added, "Lying about paternity."

"Impregnated by a DiMera and lying about it for years," Will added with a slight smile.

"That's a good one," Lucas acknowledged. "Oh, I know, going to illegal and nonsensical means to protect her child."

"Single mom that's going to look crazy and deranged," Will said. He laughed as Sami's glare got fiercer and fiercer.

"I hate you both," Sami declared. "I don't know why I put up with you."

"Because you love us," Lucas threw his arm around Sami and squeezed.

Will noticed the fond look on his mother's face with an alarming amount of trepidation.

"Anyway," Sami said, Lucas' arm still around her. "I don't think we should give up on Amir yet. He's all alone right now. And, if nothing else, we can keep an eye on him here."

"You should find him," Lucas encouraged. "Any idea where he could be?"

"Yeah," Will said. "I know where he is."

* * *

Will walked down the hall towards Amal's room at the hospital. For being so late at night, he found it odd there was no staff about to question him. Deciding to ask his aunt Kayla about the hospital's policies, Will paused. He could see Amir through the glass in the door.

With a deep breath, Will walked inside.

Amir sat next to Amal's bed. He fingered the ring Amal wore when Frick beat her. The ring Will thought gave Frick pause.

"You know what's on here?" Amir asked without turning to see who walked inside.

"No," Will said, "What?"

"I didn't notice at first," Amir said. "I never noticed. It's pretty blurred from wear and tear but it's there, a phoenix."

"Oh," Will whispered, shifting in discomfort. He didn't know if he was welcome or not.

"My dad has one too," Amir closed his fist around the ring. His tone grew tight and raspy. "Not just like this, no. His is bigger, lots of stones in the shape of a phoenix. I thought he just liked the bird. I didn't realize all those stones were birthstones too. From all the hundreds of other kids he had. Kids that knew him."

Will didn't know what to say.

"I saw the logo on the DiMera Enterprises building," Amir explained. "I saw it the first time I came to Salem too. A few weeks ago when I went to visit you. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Why would I? It's just a bird. I don't know if you noticed either but the napkins at the club have phoenixes. Aker and Monroe, they had these cufflinks with them. But Frick? Frick didn't have anything. That must be why the ring freaked him out so much. He knew who gave it to Ammi."

"Amir," Will said in a low voice, stepping closer.

Amir stood up, chair squealing the tile beneath it. "This was the first tattoo I ever got," Amir lifted his shirt up to expose the back of his shoulder blade. "Because I loved Harry Potter and Dumbledore was my favorite character. I thought, why not get Fawkes the phoenix? That's poetic, isn't it? Lauding something that dies and begins anew. I identified with that. I was a lonely, friendless kid who spent all my free time obsessing over a book. And my dad loved it. He didn't even care that I was underage when I did it. He got this stupid smile on his face and that proud gleam in his eyes I never saw before. And for what?"

Will examined Amir's bared back. He was quite bony but covered in ink. They weren't all coherent. The stylings were different, the colors. But it told a story.

"It's beautiful," Will said.

Amir snorted and slumped in his chair. "It's almost funny, isn't it? Dumbledore was my favorite character. I thought about how wise and paternal he was. I thought he was this great person, this hero. And now that I'm older I know he was just an asshole. A ruthless old man that manipulated Harry. Turned him into what Dumbledore thought he should be.

"That's how I feel about both my parents now especially Ammi. I thought she was perfect, that she loved me. And my whole life was nothing but lies."

"That's not fair," Will interjected. He moved to stand in front of Amir, to look in his eyes. "Your mother was trying to protect you."

Amir crossed his arms and said nothing.

"You don't understand what Stefano's like," Will said. "You don't know what it must have taken for your mother to convince him to go along with her plan. To keep you out of that type of life."

"What kind of life did I get instead?" Amir questioned. "I've spent years fearing Frick. Doing everything he wanted. Getting lied to and manipulated at every turn. And now, my mother could be brain dead. Your family hates me. Oh, and my father just so happens to be an international terrorist. How is this any better than growing up knowing the truth? At least then I could have had time to prepare. At least then I'd know what to do."

"I don't hate you," Will insisted. "Either do my parents. Mom and Dad told me to find you. They didn't want you alone and either did I. Yeah, things suck. In fact, they fucking suck. The last year of my life was nothing but one big plot to make me miserable. Sure, your mom is in a delicate spot now but she did it to protect you. She did everything she could to make you happy. She's in the hospital now because she risked her life for yours. That's how much she loves you."

"So, what?" Amir asked through watery eyes, "You're just gonna be my friend? Even though my mom plotted everything? Even knowing who my dad is? You're not gonna hold that against me?"

"It's not your fault," Will said and he meant it. Amir didn't know. It wasn't his fault. "I'm not gonna lie and say things won't change because they will. Maybe it'll be for the better."

Amir rocked back and forth for a few minutes, staring at his mother. "Why do you think he didn't fight her on it? If he's this big, baddie, why did he let me go? Why come up with some elaborate lie?"

Will wasn't sure. Stefano DiMera was a hard person to read.

"Because he already had so many children that he didn't need another?" Amir wondered. "Because I'm the only one that's not Christian? Why didn't he care?"

"I don't know for sure," Will admitted. "I don't understand Stefano that well. But I mean, it could be the other way around, right?"

"What do you mean?" Amir asked.

"Well, like you said, Stefano has a lot of kids. A lot of kids," Will emphasized. "But you're the only one he tried to keep out of that life. The only one he kept safe. Maybe that means he cared about you too much."

Amir nodded, lips pressed together.

"Look," Will said, "I've known a lot of Stefano's kids. Some I've liked more than others. In fact, my family has a long history with DiMera's. Hell, two-thirds of my siblings are DiMera's. Oh," Will paused for a moment. "I guess that means you're their uncle. Weird….anyway," Will shook his head, "Yes, this changes pretty much everything about your life. But you're still you and Stefano is most likely still Stefano. He's still your dad. He's just got a different reputation now."

"As a mass murdering psychopath?" Amir said in a deadpan voice.

"…Yes," Will nodded in a rather serious manner.

Will and Amir stared at each other for a few seconds before erupting in giggles. The whole situation was beyond ridiculous.

"God," Amir rubbed his hands over his face. "You know what's pathetic?"

"What?" Will's shoulders still shook.

"I can't stop thinking about what you said before," Amir said. "About living in the DiMera mansion. If things had been different, we would have grown up together. Gone to the same school, lived in the same house."

"Huh," Will thought about it. "We would have known each other, that's true."

"Do you think that-um-never mind," Amir turned from Will.

"Do I think what?" Will tilted his head.

"It's just that-um- if you would have known me and I would have known you," Amir said, face flushed. "I would have met you before Sonny."

"Oh," Will said. He blinked. "Oh."

"Yeah," Amir mumbled. "It's stupid. I know."

"I don't know," Will answered. "I don't know how things would have worked out. I might have hated you or you could have hated me."

"Right," Amir nodded. "Forget I said anything. It's just easier to focus on that than on reality."

"I know what you mean," Will mumbled stumbling into a seat next to Amir.

* * *

The next morning Will and Sami escorted Amir to the DiMera mansion. Neither wanted Amir alone while he confronted Stefano with the truth.

The three stood on the doorstep. Amir faced the door, finger hovering over the doorbell. Will could see how Amir struggled with what to do.

"What did you think his name was?" Will asked, wanting to distract Amir.

"Huh?" Amir turned to give Will an odd look.

"Your father," Will elaborated. "What name did he use?"

"Santo Fenice," Amir said, forehead slumped on the hard wooden door. "I'm such an idiot."

"Why does that make you an idiot?" Sami wondered.

"I looked it up last night. Fenice is Phoenix in Italian," Amir's muffled voice explained. "Is Santo even my grandfather's name? Or was that a lie too?"

"That one's real," Sami assured Amir.

Will and Sami waited for Amir to do something, anything.

"Chad didn't know Stefano was his father either," Will said to fill the awkward silence. "Of course, he didn't know Stefano at all in any capacity at first. And they have a pretty screwed up relationship now. But, you know, you can bond over that. Or something, I don't know. Maybe you don't want to know your brother."

"Will," Sami gave him a dry look. "Shut up."

Will mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

 _Ding Dong_

A maid opened the door, eyes widening as she took in the group before her. "Can I help you?"

"No," Sami said before barging her way inside. "I know where I'm going."

Will and Amir shuffled along behind her, trying not to look at the startled maid. They walked through the foyer and past the front room. Will saw Chad and Abigail for a brief moment and waved his hand when Chad called his name.

Sami led them to Stefano's private office and opened the door without knocking. Stefano, sitting in a wheelchair immersed in his opera, frowned when he saw Sami.

"Samantha Brady, as I live and breathe," Stefano greeted.

"Unfortunately," Sami responded causing Stefano to sneer.

Stefano glanced over Sami's shoulder at Will. He did a double-take when he noticed Amir. "Ah," Stefano set his baton in his lap.

"Ah?" Sami scoffed. "That's all you have to say for yourself?"

"What else is there to say?" Stefano offered with a solemn reserve. His gaze landed on Amir before he said, "Tesoro, I did not think I would ever see you here."

"Because you didn't want me here?" Amir asked in a small voice. His arms wrapped around his small waist while the tip of one toe rubbed against the carpet.

"No," Stefano denied. "Because your mother did not want you here."

Will and Sami edged closer to one another. They wanted to give Amir some semblance of privacy.

"Why?" Amir asked sounding so vulnerable it made Will's chest ache.

"I was not the man she thought I was," Stefano admitted. "My time with your mother was short but beautiful. She did not know what I was. When she found out, she forbade me to let you anywhere near my world. Though she would not keep me from your life."

"But why did you lie?" Amir wondered, stepping closer to Stefano.

"To keep you safe," Stefano said. "To keep your mother happy. A stronger man than me would fear her wrath. I must confess, I rather enjoyed our relationship. You're different than my other children. They all held resentment, fear. I did not take the time to know them not the way I have with you."

"What about Frick?" Amir whispered. He sat on the couch next to Stefano's wheelchair. Eyes alight with a desperate need for understanding.

"I wanted him to watch over you," Stefano admitted. "To keep me abreast of your activities. I didn't realize until last year that he overstepped."

"You didn't stop him," Amir argued. "You let him treat me like a little lapdog. He terrified me and you didn't do anything."

"I thought it was for the best," Stefano said. "I didn't realize he had done anything to hurt you so. I thought if you enjoyed that type of life, I could tell you the truth. Let you take up your rightful place by my side."

Will and Sami's eyebrows rose in sync at the phrase.

"These past few years," Stefano reached a trembling hand out toward Amir. He patted Amir's bearded face with a fond smile. "My children have left me one after the other. Betrayals and death, murder and mayhem. And yet, you've always been my brightest little star. Safe from the ways of Salem. Vulnerable and sweet. So good that no one would ever believe you a DiMera at all."

Amir smiled, eyes glistening.

"That sounds like a load of crap to me," Sami couldn't help but interject. "So, what, you're saying you let some woman push you around about one of your kids?"

"Yes," Stefano said in a haughty tone. "It was twenty-two years ago. I was sentimental at the time."

"Or you were waiting for the opportune moment to use him to your benefit," Sami challenged.

"How could I have foreseen any of this Samantha?" Stefano wondered.

"I don't know," Sami said. "I just find it a little too convenient for your son to end up at that movie studio. That's what brought all this in motion, isn't it? So, who sent him to Hollywood, Stefano?"

Stefano held Sami's glare for a few moments before looking back at Amir. "Aye, it was me."

"Dad," Amir mumbled, "Why?"

"I asked your mother about you," Stefano revealed. "EJ had just passed. I had to make sure you were alright. She mentioned you didn't date much even though you were in college. Mentioned you had a long-lost crush. A boy from a spelling bee. I looked up the contestants, determined to make you happy."

Stefano looked over at Will. "To my surprise, it was William, here. The opportunity presented itself when William accompanied my grandchildren to LA. I persuaded Frick to send you. Convinced him your artistic abilities would pass you off as a writer.

"That is all I did," Stefano insisted. "The rest was up to chance."

"No, it wasn't," Amir said. He picked at a hole near his knees. Fingers bothering the black fabric. "It was Ammi."

"Your mother?" Stefano frowned. "What did she have to do with Frick's stupidity, his madness?"

"It was her idea," Amir sighed. "She planned everything out so Will would end up in Fairfield. She's the one that kidnapped Will and Ari, not Frick."

"And now she's in the hospital," Stefano mumbled. Will could have sworn Stefano had a proud gleam in his eye.

"She woke up for a while yesterday," Amir told Stefano. "She spoke to Will. The hospital told me they'd call when she woke again. If she ever does."

"She will," Stefano said with a firm nod. "Your mother is strong. She'll come back to you."

"I hope so," Amir whispered. "As mad as I am at her, I still miss her."

Will, silent throughout the proceedings, cleared his throat. "What's going to happen now?"

"Amir shall stay by my side," Stefano insisted. "I am an old man and getting older every minute. I have lost too many children. I would like to have them all by my side now in my twilight years."

"Twilight years?" Amir repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"I fear I'm not long for this world," Stefano heaved a large sigh. On his last exhale he broke into a raspy cough. "I do not wish to waste my remaining time on this earth lying to you, Tesoro."

Amir didn't say anything. Faced with the prospect of both his parents leaving him, Will thought Amir looked lost.

"You could stay here," Stefano suggested.

"No," Sami said in a firm voice. "He's already staying with us."

"First my grandchildren, now you must take another son away from me as well?" Stefano gave Sami a pointed glare.

"I am not going to let you corrupt him," Sami insisted. "I don't care how old and feeble you might act. You are not going to do to him what you did to EJ. I refuse."

"Hmph," Stefano snorted, turning away from her. "Denying an old man his last request?"

"Yes," Will answered for his mother. "It's up to Amir if he wants to get to know the real you or not. But we aren't going to let you hurt him."

Stefano chuckled, shaking his head.

"What?" Sami demanded, hands on her hips. "What is so funny?"

"You said it was ironic my son ended up on that movie studio," Stefano explained. "I say it's ironic that once again my flesh and blood's besotted by your family."

It took Will a moment to realize what Stefano meant. Marlena, Sami, and Will were all the object of at least one DiMera's infatuation.

* * *

Author's note:

There's ony two more chapters. Thanks for reading!


	20. Chapter 20

After the trip to Stefano's, Will and Sami picked up the kids from Marlena's. Amir returned to Amal's bedside, hopeful she would wake up again. The moment Will returned to the condo, he took Ari into his room and closed the door.

Will wanted to lie in bed and forget the world around him. Before when he'd have a bad day, he'd press his forehead to Sonny's neck and breathe in his scent. Sonny would hold Will close, share his strength. Even if it was just for a few minutes, Will always felt so much better. Things wouldn't seem so hard. Everything fell into focus with Sonny's mere presence. There wasn't anything Will couldn't do as long as he had Sonny.

Now, Will couldn't remember the last time he felt that way around Sonny. He couldn't remember the last time he felt safe around Sonny. Couldn't remember the last time he knew with absolute certainty Sonny would be there to pick Will up if he fell.

Will wasn't stupid. He knew the majority of his marriage problems were his fault. Most problems in Will's life had always been self-made. Will took Ari with him to California for a pipedream. Will didn't exert himself to contact Sonny when things got rough. Will let himself fall into complacency. Let himself become close to another man in California, to Amir. Will accepted the writing project on Paul knowing he'd have to keep it a secret. Will jumped at the chance to get to know Paul better. Eager to get to know the handsome celebrity that seemed to give Will a singular focus. Will didn't discourage Paul when things became too intense. Didn't push Paul away. Worst of all, a part of Will welcomed Paul's attentions and affections. Felt flattered by it. Will crawled into bed with Paul as a willing partner. He relished in those attentive, worshipful hands and lips.

The guilt didn't come until after. The self-hatred, the revulsion at what he'd done. The absolute terror over the future repercussions. The soul-crushing realization that Will's actions, his inability to stay faithful and true, his lack of morals and respect would send Ari into a childhood like his own.

Everything that followed after, the lying, the plotting, the public humiliation, and death threats were nothing compared to what Will had done to his daughter's family. Prone to overreactions and underreactions, Will did everything he could. Each moment with Sonny was agony. Each secretive, loving look between Sonny and Paul pushed Will even farther. Desperate to fix things, knowing every choice made everything worse and powerless to stop himself.

Sonny leaving Will and Ari behind, everything that followed, broke a part of Will. The fissures in Will's heart started when he was young. Each new pain, each new hurt cracking Will a little bit more. Forced out of his home. Bills piling around him. Daughter growing further from one of her father's. Everything compiling against him. Pressing and stretching until Will didn't feel like there was anything left of him. Wings, underwear, glitter, spotlights, and a familiar, kind face in the sea of nothingness.

 _And it was all a set-up. Almost every single moment planned out, plotted, and manipulated. What was real and what wasn't?_

Turning to press his nose into Ari's silky hair, Will closed his eyes tight. Ari rambled on about her time at Marlena's. Will let her sweet voice and enthusiasm draw him in.

Will didn't know what to do with his life. Didn't know how to deal with it all being a lie. Didn't know how to deal with Sonny or Amir's expectations. Didn't know what to do in the face of Stefano DiMera.

 _This,_ Will breathed in Ari's sugary scent _. Just focus on this. Think about her and what she needs. Just be the father she needs. The father she deserves._

Will refused to let Ari grow up in the same environment he did. Parents bouncing from one partner to the next. Instability and uncertainty, a new home every other month. A new step-parent every other year.

Will refused.

 _Ari, just think about Ari. Nothing else will ever be as important._

* * *

"What's for dinner?" Will asked a few hours later, emerging from his room.

Will and Ari fell asleep safe and snug in each other's arms. Will didn't realize how exhausted he was until he woke up. It wasn't an energizing nap. In fact, Will felt worse than he did before getting the sleep.

"I'm gonna order something," Sami said. She had an IPad in her hands and a curl to her lips. Lucas sat next to her, forehead crinkled with lines. "We need to talk."

"Just give me a few," Will scrubbed his hands against his face. He walked into the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. While the Keurig worked, Will got Ari a snack and a fresh cup of water. Sending Ari to Sydney's room, Will grabbed his coffee and sat next to Sami. "What now?"

"Just a few things I'm pretty freaked out over," Sami said. "Well, that we're freaked out over," she waved a hand in Lucas' direction.

"Okay," Will said as he sat in the middle of them.

"Well, first," Lucas said, "We were thinking about Amal. About what she did with your money and how to get it back."

"Oh," Will shrugged, blowing on his coffee. "I hadn't thought about it."

"We were thinking," Sami said, "And we want you to get your money back, of course. But we're not sure if we should alert the bank about the situation."

"Why not?" Will asked.

"Because if we told them what Amal did, she'd get fired," Lucas said. "As much as she deserves that, we're not sure it's the right thing to do. If she'd fired, she'll lose her health insurance. I asked Amir the other day about it and he said her insurance paid for everything. Without it, Amir would have to pay for everything at the hospital. And if Amal doesn't wake up for quite a long time, well, you see what we mean, right?"

Will nodded. He hadn't thought about any of this. As angry as Will was with Amal Paracha, he didn't think she deserved what Frick did to her. Yes, he wanted her held accountable but this would punish Amir, not his mother.

"We thought maybe Stefano would pay the bills," Sami said in a light voice. "But if it's up to us, we'd rather keep Stefano as far from this situation as possible."

"How, though?" Will wondered. "If Stefano's Amir's father, he won't stay out."

"No," Sami agreed. "But Stefano conspired to make these things happen. I don't know if you ever knew this or not but when you were a teenager, Stefano wanted to take you under his wing. He wanted you to become his protégé. EJ put a stop to it but I don't think that interest ever went away. I don't trust that he sent Amir to Hollywood because he wanted to make him happy."

"We can't let anything happen to you, Will," Lucas said, facing Will and placing a hand on his knee. "We haven't always been the best parents to you. But we're at our best when we've fought together instead of apart. And you better believe we're not letting Stefano anywhere near you."

"Oh," Will mumbled, unsure how to feel.

"Look," Sami turned so one of her legs dangled over the edge of the couch and the other brushed against Will's thigh. "Stefano is old and sick. He could die at any minute for all we know. There's no way he's going to leave without having contingency plans in place. I don't for a second believe he would leave his legacy in Chad's hands. Chad doesn't have it in him. He never has. I don't think Amir does either. You heard what Stefano said earlier. He wanted Amir at his proper place by his side. If Amir had you with him…" Sami trailed off.

"You think I'd want that-that stigma?" Will frowned, offended.

"No," Lucas said, "We think that you have the type of mind Stefano needs, though. You're willing to toe the line, to do what you have to. You're smart and resourceful."

"And his son is in love with you," Sami finished for Lucas. "Stefano might love Amir, I don't know. What I do know is that Stefano would use that to his advantage. He'd use your friendship with Amir, your confused feelings for him against you both."

"So, what?" Will didn't understand. "You want me to stay away from Amir?"

"We didn't say that," Lucas replied. Although he looked like that's what he wanted to say. "We just want you to be careful."

"Besides," Sami sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That might not even be the scariest realization."

"What is?" Will asked not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Stefano's infamous," Sami said. "But all these years we assumed he had a base in Salem. That everything originated in Salem. Now we know his power's stretched out. He has bases in Fairfield, in Springfield. Where else has he reached? How much power does he have? We were all naïve to think his influence only reached Salem."

The thought alone scared Will more than anything else did.

"I think we need to talk to John and Steve about this," Lucas suggested. "With their resources, they could keep an eye on things."

"They'll think Amir has something to do with it all," Will realized. "If they find out who his father is, they won't trust him."

"That's part of what comes with being a DiMera," Sami said. With a keen eye, she added, "It became a part of my life when I devoted myself to EJ. It's what Johnny and Sydney will grow up with. Can you handle it?"

"What are you trying to say?" Will asked with a hint of frustration.

"If you have feelings for Amir," Sami said in a flat voice. "That's your future. The constant suspicion and judgment. If you can't handle that, you should back out now."

"I'm not going to leave Amir behind because of his father," Will said with narrowed eyes. "I grew up dealing with that crap. It's not Amir's fault. I wouldn't do that to him."

"Then you do have feelings for him?" Lucas asked in a sad, quiet voice.

"I didn't say that," Will answered. He placed his coffee down and put his face in his hands. "It's complicated. I don't know what's real and what I got tricked into believing."

"That's gotta be rough," Sami offered, patting Will on the back.

"It shouldn't be," Will argued. "I'm married. Sonny's willing to give us a chance and I don't know what to do. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Why is Sonny willing to give you a chance?" Sami questioned with a sharp voice. "He didn't come back because he missed you or he loved you. He came back because Paul told him you did something stupid and Sonny was angry. He didn't come back for you."

"You didn't see Sonny when we learned Will and Ari were in the hospital," Lucas argued. "He was frantic. I'd never seen him that way. He loves you, Will. He does."

"Well, he has a funny way of showing it," Sami snorted.

"Sonny went through a lot too," Lucas pointed out. "He thought Will ignored his calls and texts. He thought Will moved on without him."

"He never would have suspected that if he hadn't abandoned his family in the first place," Sami spat.

"You two aren't helping," Will groaned.

"Sorry," Sami huffed. "I just don't want you making a decision out of a misplaced sense of duty. Yes, you're married to Sonny. But I think it's pretty clear things haven't been right with you two in a long time. And things are never going to be right unless you both give and receive forgiveness in equal measures. Trust me. I know. Your resentment will build and build until that overpowers every other emotion.

"And you shouldn't be with Sonny if you have feelings for Amir. It isn't fair to Sonny, Amir, or yourself."

"I told you, Sonny and I are trying the whole friend's thing," Will mumbled. "Seeing what happens."

"What about Amir?" Lucas pressed. "Are you going to see what happens there too?"

"I don't know," Will said. "I don't want to think about this. I don't want to know about this. I don't want to put Ari through this."

"Yeah, I know," Sami pulled Will toward her. She kissed the top of his head and shared a look with Lucas over his head. "You know what I think?"

"What?" Will asked, leaning against Sami's small frame with all his weight.

"I think your heart is too big to love just one man your entire life," Sami said.

Will exhaled through his nose with a loud huff.

"But don't forget," Lucas said, "If you let Sonny go, odds are he'll end up with Paul. Could you live with that?"

Will closed his eyes tight. Anything to block that from his mind.

* * *

After dinner, John came over with Steve Johnson. Sami and Lucas talked with the two in Lucas' apartment while Will stayed with the kiddos. Will thought he got the better end of the deal. He didn't much feel like defending his actions or his friendship to Paul's father and Sonny's uncle.

Besides, Will needed to talk with Amir alone. Or as alone as they could get in a condo with four children.

"How are you holding up?" Will asked Amir as the kids ran screaming past them, enthralled in their zombie game.

"I have no idea," Amir answered with a wry smile. "As much as I'd like to believe my dad about all this, I just don't know. I still can't believe my ammi did what she did let alone everything else."

"It's hard to process, yeah," Will agreed. "I just wanted you to know I'm not gonna think of you any different now that I know who your father is. You're still gonna be Amir Paracha to me."

"And who is that?" Amir asked in a rhetorical manner.

"A shy, skinny dork with too many tattoos," Will answered with a small smile.

"Thanks," Amir said after a few moments. "But I don't have too many tattoos."

"Can you even count all them?" Will asked with a skeptical glance.

"Sure," Amir said. "It would take a long time but yeah."

"Do you have a favorite?" Will wondered.

"Hmm, I like them all," Amir said. "I can't pick."

Will nodded. "So, um, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh?" Amir said, tensing.

"Nothing bad, well, not that bad," Will wasn't sure if it was bad or not. "I just, I told you I was going to start again with Sonny. Friends and whatnot, just to see where it goes."

"I know," Amir said in a sad, shoulders slumping.

"I was kind of hoping we could try that too," Will offered.

"What do you mean?" Amir asked.

"You-um-even before we met, you had this idea of me in your head. You had a crush and I think it blinded you in a way to who I am," Will explained. "And with everything conspiring to put us together, forcing us together, I would like to get to know you. Without the manipulations and deceit, just us. If you want to."

"I don't think I saw you any different than you are," Amir said. "I thought you were beautiful and smart. Now, I know you are."

"Yeah," Will bit his lower lip, face red. "Sure."

"The first time I laid eyes on you," Amir said, "You walked to the microphone on the stage at that spelling bee. The bright lights glistened off your hair and eyes. I swear on whatever God you can think of, I thought you were an angel. Made seeing you in those wings at the club a bit more painful, to be honest."

Will groaned, covering his face with his hand. "Look, I know you don't mean anything bad about those comments but you have to stop. I'm not angelic and I'm not beautiful. You have to see how uncomfortable it is to me that you had some sort of love at first sight thing for me. Especially when you didn't even know me."

"Sorry," Amir bunched his shirt sleeves over his fingertips. "I just, that's what I felt. Isn't that what you said happened with Sonny?" Amir's nostrils flared as a sour look crossed his face. "That he took one look at you and that was it?"

"Well," Will peeked out from his fingertips. "I never understood that much either. I just, I don't know what to do with someone that is so far ahead in feelings. Having a crush I understand. I wasn't immune to you when we met either. But now," Will half-sighed, half-groaned. "I don't know how to explain it."

"I can't turn off my feelings," Amir mumbled, talking into his knees. "But I can try. If it would make you feel better. Is that why Sami never leaves us alone? Because I make you uncomfortable? I'm sorry."

"You don't make me uncomfortable like that," Will balled his fists. He hated when he couldn't articulate his feelings. Some writer he was. "It's not like you go around reciting poetry to me or anything. You're not in my face about how you feel. It's just not how I feel. I mean, I like you. I like spending time with you and talking to you and okay, yes, I like looking at you. But I have no idea if that's because I like you or because you were the only one around. If I clung to you because I had no one else."

Amir looked taken aback and a little offended.

"I just want to take my time and find out if our friendship is real or not," Will said. "That's all."

Amir sat in silence for a few moments rubbing his fingertips along his thin lips. "So, you want us to start over again too like you and Sonny are."

"I guess," Will sighed, slumping against the back of the sofa. "I want to take things slow, see what happens. I can't cut Sonny out of my life. As hard as things have been, he's still my husband. If I didn't love him anymore, things wouldn't be this hard. But at the same time, I don't think I can cut you out of my life either. I'm just not in the same place you are feelings-wise and I wouldn't want to lead you on or anything."

"Okay," Amir nodded. "I can handle that. And for the record, you haven't led me on."

"I kissed you," Will reminded Amir. He thought back to the drawings Amir made of Will. The ones with the emphasis on Will's lips.

"Yeah," Amir smiled, "But I've always known how things are. I know you love Sonny and that's okay. A better guy might have pushed you away. I wasn't going to let that opportunity slip by. Who knows if I'll ever get one again?"

Will nodded. His ears perked toward the bedrooms where he could hear shrill laughter and squeals.

"Hey, Will," Amir said in a low voice. "Thanks for not abandoning me."

"Why would I do that?" Will asked, brows furrowed.

"My mom ruined your life," Amir listed. "My dad's ruined your whole family one time or another. Their blood runs in my veins. Maybe I'm like them deep down."

"Hey," Will turned to face Amir. His head rested on the couch cushion still but Will held Amir's gaze. "You can't control what your parents do any more than I can control mine. I've dealt with people judging me because of my mom my whole life. It would be hypocritical for me to do the same to you now. Besides, not all DiMera's are bad, you know."

Amir gave Will a small smile.

"Besides," Will lifted one shoulder in a shrug, "It's not like you asked them to do anything. They did it all because they love you. I can respect that. I suspect I'll end up just as crazy when it comes to Ari."

"That I don't doubt," Amir teased.

Will shoved Amir's shoulder and laughed. "Hey, out of curiosity, have you always called Stefano dad?"

"What do you mean?" Amir asked.

"Well, I don't think I've ever heard any of his kids call him that before," Will said. "They always called him father."

"That's what I've always used," Amir said. "Maybe it's another way I'm an outcast."

"Or maybe it's another way you're special," Will said. "You're like his little bitty baby that gets special privileges."

"That's one way of looking at it," Amir acknowledged.

"Have you decided what you want to do? About your dad, I mean?" Will said.

"I don't know," Amir sighed. "Get to know the real him, I suppose. See if it's anything close to the man I thought I knew."

"If you want, I can introduce you to Chad. He's a good guy. I think you'd like him," Will said. "I'm sure he'd like to see Johnny and Sydney too. We could tell the three of them together."

"It's hard to believe I have a brother," Amir admitted with a smile. "Do you think he'd like me?"

"Yeah," Will said. "Although fair warning, he's Sonny's best friend."

Amir made a face that caused Will to burst out in laughter.

"You know, I would like it if the two of you got along, right?" Will said.

"Are you gonna get along with Paul?" Amir asked with narrowed eyes.

"That's different," Will rolled his eyes.

"Kind of looks the same to me," Amir pointed out.

"It's different because Paul and I used to get along very, very well," Will smirked.

Amir laughed and crossed his arms. "Your life is so weird."

"Your life is weird now too," Will said. "If you're sticking around Salem you better get used to it. Hey, you've already got your first paternity scandal too. Now you're one of us."

Amir snorted when Will started whispering, "One of us! One of us!"

Sami and Lucas found them a few minutes later, clutching their heaving stomachs.

"Do I even want to know?" Sami asked with a raised brow and a smile tugging at her lips.

"It's not important," Will said, giggles dying down. "How did your meeting go?"

"They're looking into it," Sami said with a wave of her hand. "But we've got a proposition for you," Sami kicked at Amir's foot.

"Me?" Amir sat up straight.

"Yep," Lucas said, coming to stand beside Sami.

"You can't live on a couch forever," Sami said. "And it's pointless for you to keep your apartment in Fairfield now. So," Sami linked her arm with Lucas', "We thought you might want to move into Lucas' extra room."

Will and Amir's eyes widened in surprise.

"Since Allie is so close I don't need to keep it for her," Lucas explained. "You'd get some semblance of privacy when the kids drive you crazy. All five of them," Lucas gave Will a pointed look.

"Hey," Will said with a pout.

"Are you sure, sir?" Amir asked. "I didn't think you liked me that much."

"I don't not like you," Lucas said. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't taking advantage of my son. But you've been a good friend to Will. Ari loves you and so do Allie and Johnny and Sydney. Even Sami here likes having you around."

Sami nodded, squeezing Lucas' arm. "So, what do you say?"

"If-if you're sure you don't mind," Amir said looking between Will, Lucas, and Sami.

"I don't mind," Lucas said. "I think this will be good for everyone. Now, come on, you can bring what little you have over now. Tomorrow I can help you get everything from your apartment."

Lucas and Amir grabbed his few things and headed out the door.

"What was that all about?" Will asked as soon as they left.

"What?" Sami asked trying her best to seem innocent. When she saw Will's blank look she sighed. "He can't stay on the couch forever. And this way we can keep an eye on things. Not spy on him just make sure he's okay. I don't want Stefano getting to him. But if he does, we'll notice right away."

"And?" Will asked with narrowed eyes.

"And this way you'll get some space to think," Sami said. "You can't figure out your personal life with one of them hovering over you all day."

"Speaking of that, why wouldn't you ever let Amir and me alone?" Will wondered.

"I guess a part of me worried that he knew more than he let on," Sami said. "I didn't want you getting hurt if he wasn't as nice as he appeared. I didn't want you making any of the same mistakes you did with that Paul idiot either. You owed it to yourself to end things with Sonny before starting anything new anyway."

"Oh," Will mumbled.

Sami mused Will's hair before heading into the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom?" Will asked, looking over the back of the couch.

"Hmm?" Sami asked, getting herself a drink.

"What do you think I should do?" Will questioned.

"I can't answer that one," Sami said. "That's something you have to decide yourself."

"But you do have an opinion," Will knew. "You like one of the guys more than the other."

"Yep," Sami grinned wide and proud. "But I'm not gonna tell you which one. You're making this decision by yourself. I'm not influencing you in the slightest."

"You give the worst advice," Will grumbled.

"Don't worry," Sami said. "If you make the wrong choice, I'll let you know."

"Great," Will sighed.

"I'll turn into Will and you can be the Sami," Sami suggested with a laugh.

"This is my worst nightmare come to life," Will said, deadpan.

* * *

After dragging Ari out of Sydney's room and into her own bed, Will felt exhausted. The past few weeks, days, hours catching up to him. Will knew it was just the beginning too. He'd have decisions to make, feelings to root through. Expectations and judgments and disappointments to deal with.

Will wasn't looking forward to it but it was the right thing to do. He couldn't begin or end anything without figuring out his feelings first. It wouldn't be fair to anyone least of all Ari. Whatever happened, Will vowed to keep Ari sheltered from it. He wouldn't put her through relationship changes every other year. He wouldn't.

 _The only way for that to happen is to do what I said I would. I have to start at the beginning with Sonny. See if we can get back our trust, our communication. See if we can forgive each other for the things we've done or not done._

Fingers itching, Will grabbed his new cell phone. He didn't trust the old one and bought a refurbished one for rather cheap.

Holding his breath, Will dialed Sonny's number. Terrified it would ring and ring until going to voicemail, Will's heart stopped when Sonny answered.

"Will?" Sonny whispered over the line.

"Uh y-yeah, it's me," Will said in a quiet voice.

"Hi," Sonny breathed.

"Hi," Will parroted. "What did you do today?"

As Sonny described his day, Will pressed his face into his pillow and smiled.

* * *

Author's note:

Only one more chapter left. Thanks for reading!

Also, I have a small Halloween-esque fic written so look out for that this weekend.


	21. Chapter 21

**May 20, 2016**

"Thanks for bringing her for a visit," Gabi Hernandez told Will. Her expression equal parts ecstasy and heartbreak.

"Well, it's her birthday," Will shrugged. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I can't believe she's already three," Gabi sighed. "She's so big now."

"Trust me, I know," Will chuckled.

"I big girl now, Mommy," Ari declared with a wide grin.

"Yes, you are," Gabi smiled, kneeling down to Ari's level.

"How old are you today, baby girl?" Will questioned.

"Three!" Ari yelled holding up three little fingers.

"That's right," Will agreed. "Now, tell Mommy bye. It's time for your party."

Ari threw her arms around Gabi before rushing to the door. She had a party to get to after all.

"Thanks for bringing her again," Gabi said.

"No problem," Will gave Gabi a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "We'll be back real soon."

Will and Ari walked out of prison hand in hand. Ari telling every guard they came across it was her birthday.

* * *

"Tell me again," Will said as they drove back to Salem. "What kind of party are you having?"

"A Shopkins party!" Ari yelled. "And I'll have presents and a piñata and fun and games and caaaaaandy!"

"It doesn't sound like you need any candy," Will said under his breath. "I take it you're excited?"

"Yes!" Ari kicked the back of Will's seat all the way to town.

Will pulled into the condo's parking garage with ease. He made sure to rush toward the elevator. He didn't like lingering in the garage after the kidnapping.

Will checked his watch. "Do you want to change your clothes?"

Ari looked down at her matching Peppa Pig outfit and light up Minnie Mouse shoes. "No, like this."

"Good," Will said. "I won't have to worry about you getting dirty. But let me fix your hair."

Will kneeled behind Ari in the elevator. He held her hair tie in his mouth as he fixed her French braid. It drove him crazy when hair escaped. "What do you think?"

Will handed Ari his phone and opened up the camera. Ari glanced at herself a few times before puckering her lips and taking a picture. Will rolled his eyes before shoving his face behind hers and taking a few pictures of them together.

"You love the camera too much," Will teased. He picked his favorite pictures of them, made a collage, and posted them on Instagram.

"The camera loves me," Ari declared causing Will to snort.

"You need to stop hanging out with Grammy," Will said as the elevator dinged.

They got off on their floor and went inside the condo. Will grabbed a few things he needed for the party before they headed back to the elevator. Sami already had most of the party set up in the resident's center. Their condo might have been large enough to accommodate guests but Will wanted room for the kids to spread out.

The resident's center was in a separate building right next to the condominium. It featured three separate pools, tennis and basketball court, a BBQ station, and its own grassy area. Streamers, balloons, and Shopkins decorations surrounded the covered picnic area.

Will helped Sami finish the decorations as Ari ran to join the kids at the grass. The party started in half an hour. Plenty of time to get everything ready.

Will set up the drinks, bottles of water and juice boxes, in a cooler. He put all the food in a small refrigerator next to the built in BBQ. For dinner, they were having hamburgers and hot dogs as well as typical picnic foods like potato salad. Instead of a cake, Ari requested flavored marshmallows. During one of Lucas' business trips to Chicago he brought back a box of fresh marshmallows. Ari became addicted. Lucas made the trip to Chicago that morning to get a few boxes and was rushing back to make it in time for the party.

Soon enough, Ari's guests trickled in one by one. Her entire preschool class as well as their parents came. As well as almost all Ari's relatives, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents.

"I am so glad we decided to have the party here," Will said to Sami as he rushed to set up a new game.

"The house would be in ruins," Sami agreed. "Whose bright idea was it to invite over twenty preschoolers?"

Will, with Eric's help, tied a length of rope between two poles holding up the Ramada. Attached to the rope were two dozen donuts. Will instructed each child to lie on their backs under a donut before the challenge began. Whoever ate their donut the fastest would be the winner.

"We didn't play this at any of my birthday parties," Eric said as he watched the kids' stuff their faces.

"Ari saw it on YouTube," Will said with a laugh. "They seem to like it."

Will handed out a prize to the winner before moving onto the next activity. While Will was hustling and bustling, Sonny arrived with several large boxes.

Will, passing out juice boxes, waved Sonny over after he set down the gifts. He nodded to Adrienne and Justin as they walked past.

"Hey," Will greeted. "I thought you were gonna be late."

"I got someone to cover for me at TBD," Sonny said. "I wouldn't miss this for anything. Let me help?"

Will nodded, "Please for the love of God."

Sonny laughed, "Just tell me what to do."

Since moving back to Salem, Sonny took control of TBD again. He confessed to Will that he preferred running his own club as opposed to someone else's. Sonny found something satisfying in cultivating his own business. Will suspected Sonny just wanted out of Victor's illegal enterprises.

Will and Sonny regained their old friendship. Will didn't realize how much he missed it until he had it again. He missed the days when he could tell Sonny anything, everything. When they could spend hours and hours talking without judgments or hurts.

The two reached a new element in their relationship, total honesty. They were honest almost to a fault no matter how painful the truth had been. Sonny explained to Will the entirety of his relationship with Paul. Each agonizing moment, leaving nothing out. He even explained all his other relationships as well.

Will, for his part, explained his time in California to Sonny better. He told Sonny all about Amir and what they did together. The things they discussed and just how intimate their conversations had been. Sonny learned the truth behind Will and Paul's time together. Will even told Sonny about his rekindled friendship with Amir including the kisses they shared in the hospital. Sonny didn't complain as he had his own secret hospital kisses to reveal as well.

As Will got closer to Sonny, Sonny got closer to Ari. The two regained the others affections which pleased Will more than anything else. He hated the thought of Ari having an estranged parental figure.

Will and Sonny were friends, best friends. They would always love one another, owning a part of the other's heart. But neither were ready or willing to take that extra step. They weren't sure if they could survive another attempt at their relationship. As friends, they could understand and let some of their hurts go. But as lovers, as husbands, things were trickier.

Could they give themselves over to each other again? Could they trust the other not to hurt them? Were their hearts free of any lingering temptations?

Will and Sonny weren't sure. Even though it hurt, Will accepted that Sonny still had feelings for Paul. That maybe Sonny had and always would. That Paul would hang over Sonny's head as a giant glaring what-if. Just like Amir would be Will's.

Will was with Amir through his assimilation into life in Salem. He was there for Amir when the judgments rolled in, the suspicions. He encouraged Amir when everyone looked down on him. He helped Amir and Chad get to know one another. He cheered Amir up when Amal slipped back into another coma. He held Amir's hand when Stefano's health took a turn for the worst too.

Despite all that, Amir had established himself in Salem. He still roomed with Lucas. The situation working out better than Will anticipated. Lucas didn't have much to spy on as Amir was forthcoming with all his time spent with Stefano.

Stefano tried for a while to integrate Amir into the family business. Amir, having neither a head for business nor the desire, rejected Stefano at every turn. In the end, either through design or a change of heart, Stefano accepted Amir's decision. Surprising everyone, Stefano gave Amir a loan to fund his own tattoo parlor.

Which was where Amir was now. Ever since opening a few weeks ago, the place was filled with customers. Amir himself was booking appointments weeks in advance.

While proud of Amir, Will couldn't help the tiny bit of jealousy he held. Not that Amir was succeeding, Will loved that. Will was envious of Amir's customers and employees for spending so much time with him now.

Ever since their conversation, Amir did his best to tone down his feelings for Will. He didn't bring them up any more, afraid he would upset Will or infringe on Will working things out with Sonny. Now, though, Will wished Amir would bring them up again.

Will didn't know how to breach the topic. He feared that too much time had passed. That Amir no longer felt that way about Will. That without the outside influences, without manipulations, Amir no longer wanted Will at all.

"What's with the pout?" a familiar voice said in Will's ear making him jump.

"Geez," Will held his hand to his chest. "You scared me."

"Sorry," Amir said with a wide smile.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, trying not to smile too wide. "I thought you were all booked up today."

"I called and moved some things around," Amir explained. "I figured my services would do better here." Amir held up a face-painting kit and tilted his head. "What do you think?"

"I love it," Will beamed. He guided Amir to a shady spot under a tree for him to set up his paints.

"'Mir, 'Mir," Ari squealed as she jogged over with a gaggle of preschoolers behind her. "You're at my party!"

"Of course, I am," Amir answered. "Now, does the birthday girl want to go first?"

Ari plopped onto the grass doing her best to hold still as Amir painted her face.

Sonny wandered over with the rest of the kids, getting them to sit in a line and wait their turn. "I don't know how teachers do it," Sonny declared already exhausted.

"I couldn't do that every day," Will agreed. The two leaned against the tree trunk and watched as a large butterfly took shape on Ari's face.

"He's good at that," Sonny offered.

"Yep," Will said.

"You thinking about getting one?" Sonny questioned.

"What? Get my face painted?" Will laughed. "No."

"Not that," Sonny nudged Will in the waist. "Get a tattoo."

"I don't know," Will shrugged. "I wouldn't know what to get."

"I'm sure your boyfriend would love to mark something on you," Sonny teased.

"He's not my boyfriend," Will rolled his eyes, cheeks flushed.

"Uh-huh, sure," Sonny said. His tone changed as he turned to face Will. "You know, if you wanted to date him, you should. I mean, I wouldn't hold you back or anything."

"I know," Will said, "And thanks."

"Aiden said things will be official in a few days," Sonny reminded Will.

"Yeah, what a way to celebrate our divorce," Will rolled his eyes. "Going out with the man you accused me of cheating on you with."

"Our divorce isn't like that, anymore," Sonny acknowledged. "You and I are in a good place, a great place. You know I love you and I know you love me."

"Yep," Will put his arm around Sonny and squeezed. "But we're better off as friends."

"At least for now," Sonny hugged back. "Who knows what the future will hold but I think we're both happy now. Happy in a way we haven't been for a while."

"Speaking of that," Will nodded towards the picnic tables. "Looks like your boyfriend is here."

Sonny, seeing Paul mingling with John and Marlena, huffed, "He's not my boyfriend."

"Uh-huh, sure," Will mocked, mimicking Sonny.

"I didn't even invite him," Sonny said. "I don't know why he's here."

"I invited him," Will said. "Now, go talk to him."

"Are you sure?" Sonny asked. "I don't want you to feel weird or anything."

"Sonny, I'm not jealous if that's what you're worried about," Will said. "It's weird but I just want you happy."

"It's Ari's birthday, though," Sonny mumbled.

"And she could care less," Will huffed. He shoved Sonny in Paul's direction. "Go!"

Will smiled when Sonny walked up to Paul before turning away. Will did want Sonny to be happy and he wasn't jealous. It was still odd for him, though. For a long time, Paul represented everything Will never was. It was hard to turn off those insecurities even now.

Sami wandered over to Will with a bottle of water for him. "I saw what you did for Sonny there. That was nice of you."

"Yeah, well," Will took a swig of water. "No point in delaying the inevitable."

"Right," Sami said in a vague tone. "I guess that means you made your decision."

"If he'll have me," Will answered with a bashful smile.

"You're adorable," Sami said.

"So, you gonna tell me if I made the right choice or not now?" Will asked, thinking back to the conversation he had with his mother. The time he asked for her help and she refused to let her answer influence Will.

"Do you hear me complaining?" Sami raised one brow.

"No," Will said.

"Then you have your answer," Sami walked away without another word.

* * *

An hour later, Will manned the grill. He would never be a master chef but he had gotten the hang of the basics. Grilling he could do with ease.

Every now and again Will would look at his watch. "Dad's still not back yet."

"He'll be here," Sami said between bites. "He sent me a message a while ago when he stopped for a bathroom break."

Will glanced at his mother out of the corner of his eye. He could see the hint of a smile on her lips. "What's with you and Dad anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Sami asked, busying herself with her food.

"Don't play coy," Will brandished his metal spatula in her face. "I saw Adrienne arrive with Justin. So, spill it."

"You can't tell any of the other kids," Sami warned. "I don't want their hopes getting up."

"I won't say anything," Will promised.

"Okay, your father and I have been…spending time together," Sami admitted. "Nothing serious. Just feeling it out."

"Okay," Will nodded. He didn't want to think about what that entailed. "I'm happy for you two and glad you're taking it slow."

"Well, you know what they say," Sami shrugged. "Tenth time is the charm."

Will muttered something under his breath that caused Sami to smack his arm.

Lucas arrived just in time for dessert. Ari and all her little friends gorged themselves on marshmallows and sugar. Not long after, everyone began drifting off.

It took Will and Johnny four trips up to the condo to get all Ari's presents inside. Will didn't even want to think about how the new toys were going to fit in her already stuffed room.

Sonny and Paul stayed behind to help clean up the decorations. As long as the two stayed away from Sami, everything was fine.

Will laughed when he saw Ari fast asleep on a picnic bench. She partied a little too hard. Will took a few pictures before lifting her up.

Sonny, with Paul a safe distance behind him, told Will goodbye. "The party was great. Ari had a blast."

"I know," Will said with a proud smile.

"Night, Will and thanks," Sonny said. He leaned forward and kissed the top of Ari's head before planting a kiss on Will's cheek.

"Night," Will said in parting. He waved at Paul who gave a terrified smile back.

Sami herded Johnny, Allie, and Sydney upstairs. Lucas, Amir, and Will, with Ari in his arms, stepped into the second elevator.

"You know," Lucas said just before the elevator stopped at his and Amir's floor. "I think I'll go up and tell the kiddos goodnight. Why don't I take Ari?"

Lucas gave Will a meaningful look before Will nodded. "Yeah, sure." Will eased Ari into Lucas' arms.

When the elevator dinged, Will stepped off with Amir.

"What was that all about?" Amir questioned as he unlocked the door.

"I'm not sure," Will mumbled as he followed after Amir.

"Well, it's been a while since we've hung out," Amir said.

"I know," Will licked his lips, "I wanted to talk about that."

"About us hanging out?" Amir asked. "You know you can come by the shop if you want."

"Yeah, I know," Will said. "I was thinking about writing something about it now that you mention it. Since you're so popular and everything."

"Well, if it's as successful as your last few articles," Amir grinned, "I'd love that."

Will's articles on the Fairfield murders and everything that surrounded them were huge successes. They brought in a hefty sum that Will put into a savings account in a different bank than the ones he used before. Despite the money, Will and Ari continued living with Sami. It felt nice to be so close in a way he didn't have growing up.

"You could come by whenever you want," Amir repeated. "I'd love having you around."

"Yeah?" Will asked, biting his lip and looking at Amir through his lashes.

"Uh huh," Amir nodded. "I'm pretty sure everyone at work thinks I'm making you up anyway."

"What do you mean?" Will wondered.

"Uh," Amir scratched the back of his neck. "Nothing. It's nothing."

Will noticed the tell-tale rosy glow to Amir's cheeks.

"Actually, that nothing is what I wanted to talk to you about," Will said in as steady of voice as he could muster.

"Oh?" Amir blinked several times.

"Yeah, I want it to not be nothing," Will said. "I want it to be something. I want us to be something."

"Us?" Amir repeated. "A-are-are you sure?"

Will nodded. He stepped closer to Amir, lacing their fingers together. "I am if you are."

"What about Sonny?" Amir whispered.

"Filed for divorce last week," Will answered, moving closer.

"What about my parents?" Amir asked.

"You can't control what they do," Will said, brushing their noses together.

"What about your parents?" Amir questioned, breath mingling with Will's.

"Why do you think we're alone right now?" Will smiled, nuzzling against Amir's facial hair. "Now, any more excuses?"

"No," Amir said. "None."

Will, one firm hand on the small of Amir's back, pressed their lips together. Amir wrapped his arms around Will's neck, relaxing into the embrace.

"Is this happening?" Amir asked, foreheads pressed together. His eyes shut tight, breathing erratic.

"Oh, yeah," Will said, nipping Amir's lower lip.

"It's not a dream, right? Tell me it's not a dream," Amir requested, breathless.

"It's not a dream," Will promised. He slid his hands down Amir's arms, brushing over his inked skin. "Now, why don't you show me your bedroom? Let me see if I can count all your tattoos."

"Uh-huh," Amir nodded, tripping over his feet as Will yanked him into the bedroom.

The room had changed quite a bit since Will stayed there. Before it still held Allie's decorations and toys as well as a pale yellow on the walls. It suited Ari just fine but not Will. The only thing that made it Will's before was the larger bed.

As Will entered there was no mistaking whom the room belonged to. Everything from the comforter to the furniture screamed Amir. The furniture was modern and minimalistic. There were several knickknacks, books, and pictures. The walls were a dark midnight blue. Instead of hanging artwork, Amir painted on the wall itself. He used bright, vivid colors, oranges, pinks, and yellows.

"It looks nice in here," Will announced as he took in the room. "Looks like you."

"I like it," Amir said. "Can we go back to the kissing now?"

Will laughed, head thrown back and cheeks flushed. He sat on the multicolored comforter and patted the spot next to him.

"Hi," Will said when Amir sat as close to him as possible.

"Hi," Amir parroted, staring at Will in a way he hadn't for a long time.

Will realized he missed it. With a grin, Will leaned forward and joined their lips together again.

Amir didn't know what to do with his hands. They brushed against Will's cheeks, behind his ear. Tangled in his hair before sliding to Will's shoulder and down to his waist. There was an almost frantic edge to Amir's touch, to his kiss.

Will wasn't quite so wild. Perhaps because his desire for Amir came on over time unlike Amir's. Although he relished in the tingly brush of Amir's facial hair to his sensitive skin.

Will grabbed Amir's hands, holding them in place against his hips. When Amir squeezed Will's flesh, Will smiled into their kiss. Will slipped his hand to the back of Amir's neck. His fingertips delved into Amir's long locks. Amir's hair had grown rather long the past few months.

Taking control of the kiss, Will swiped his tongue against Amir's. He smirked when he felt Amir shudder. Pushing, Will manhandled Amir until he was flat on his back, Will straddling his waist.

"Is this what you always imagined?" Will whispered into Amir's mouth. Lips wet and warm.

Amir nodded, keeping his dark eyes locked on Will's.

"What else?" Will wondered. He kissed along Amir's sharp jawline toward his ear. He sucked the tip of Amir's earlobe into his mouth.

Hands clamped tight to Will, Amir's hips twisted, writhing beyond his control.

"Hmm?" Will chuckled, fingertips brushing along Amir's jutting collarbone.

"T-touch," Amir spat out, voice low and deep.

"Touch, huh?" Will teased. He lowered his hips until he sat on Amir's lap, butt rubbing against Amir's groin. "What kind of touch?"

Amir's hands clamped down on Will's ass. He cried out when Will's teeth sunk into the sensitive flesh behind his ear.

"Hmm?" Will enjoyed watching Amir come undone underneath him.

Amir grunted, thrusting his hips up toward Will. He bunched the hem of Will's shirt in one fist, yanking. With a smile, Will sat up, yanking his shirt over his head. He tossed it over his shoulder, thriving off the look on Amir's face.

Amir's hands reached toward Will's skin before pulling back. He glanced up at Will in permission. Once Will nodded, Amir's hands spread over Will's bare skin. His thumbs brushed over Will's dark pink nipples. Hands digging into the ridges between Will's abdominal muscles.

"You're so…" Amir trailed off, licking his lips. He stared at the deep line along Will's hips.

Satisfied with Amir's reaction, relishing in the reverent nature of Amir's touch, Will said, "Your turn."

Amir ripped his t-shirt off so fast he got tangled in the neck. Will couldn't help stealing a kiss before helping Amir.

Once free, Will took his time admiring Amir. Tattoos covered almost all Amir's dark brown skin. Some of the ink was black while others were colored. Some designs were intricate while others were simple and lighthearted.

Amir was thin, skinny in fact, but well-muscled. His arms were small but defined. Amir's body was different than any other man Will had been with. Sonny, Paul, and even Neil were similar in build to Will. They were all around Will's height and weight. Whereas Amir was much smaller, so small that Will felt a certain amount of power over him. Amir seemed delicate in a way. All sharp angles and bones.

It turned Will on.

Will grabbed Amir's hands and pressed them palm to palm against his. Will's fingertips curled over Amir's, longer and wider. Amir's hands were skeletal thin but with a certain strength. Will kissed the top of Amir's hand, over the beautiful artwork inked into his skin.

Realizing his fist encircled Amir's wrist caused a primal reaction in Will. He shoved Amir flat onto the bed and pinned his wrists above his head.

Lips and tongues twisting, Will ground his hips into Amir. He felt a thrill running through his veins at his perceived dominance over Amir.

One of Will's hands grappled with the button on Amir's jeans, yanking them open. At the same time, Amir pushed at Will's pants as well. Both wrestled their pants until they were down to their knees.

Letting go of Amir's wrists, Will caught his eye. Seeing Amir nod, Will shoved Amir's briefs down just enough to free his cock and balls. All while Amir slipped his hand into Will's boxers and wrapped his fist around Will.

Panting against each other's mouths, grunting, Will and Amir created a syncopated rhythm. Their hands were dry and a little rough against the other.

Their position was awkward. Will, pants around his knees, hovered over Amir. But their mouths locked, wrists twisting.

With a mixture of moans and whispered praise, Will brought Amir over the edge. Taking his time, working Amir through it, Will grinned at the dark sweep of Amir's lashes. How he threw his head back, exposing the tempting tendons of his neck.

Catching his breath, Amir smiled back at Will.

"Did you know you stopped speaking English as soon as my hand touched your dick?" Will asked with a smug smile.

Amir huffed, nose crinkling. "I had no idea."

"It's sexy," Will pronounced, leaning down to capture Amir's lips again.

"You're sexy," Amir countered. He maneuvered into a sitting position before flipping Will onto his back.

Amir yanked Will's pants to his ankles, sitting on Will's thighs. He grabbed Will's hand, stealing the mess of come and slick. He smeared it around Will's dick and used both his hands to get Will off.

With Amir's weight on his legs and agile hands around him, Will shouted out his release.

Amir wiped his hands on his black jeans, leaving an obvious stain behind. When he finished, Will yanked him close, nuzzling their noses together. They shared a few sweet kisses before Amir snuggled up to Will's chest.

"I've been waiting a long time for that," Amir confessed, squeezing Will close.

"Worth the wait?" Will wondered, eyes closing.

"So worth it," Amir sighed.

Will traced his fingers along Amir's back, following the path of one tattoo. "I gotta check on Ari soon," Will said more to himself than Amir.

"I know," Amir said. "Just a few more minutes like this."

"Okay," Will replied. He pushed his nose into Amir's hair. He felt peaceful deep in his bones for the first time in a long time.

* * *

"Well, well, well," Sami said the next morning as Will and Amir walked into the condo hand in hand. "Look at that."

Will rolled his eyes but kept a smile on his face. "You're one to talk," Will looked at how close Sami was sitting to Lucas on the couch.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sami sniffed as Lucas put his hand on her knee.

"You two are cute," Amir declared as he sat next to Will.

"Is Ari up yet?" Will questioned.

"Naw, she's still out," Lucas said. "So, what are your plans for the day?"

"I have some writing I need to do," Will said. "What about you?" Will tilted his head to smile at Amir.

"I was gonna check on my ammi before going to the shop," Amir shrugged. "I have a few consults today." Amir glanced at his phone and said, "I better head out now. Wanna have dinner with me?"

"Yeah," Will nodded more than he needed to.

"Okay, good," Amir couldn't keep the grin off his face. "I'll text you."

"Good," Amir and Will stared at each other for a few moments instead of moving.

"Is this what I have to look forward to?" Sami asked. "This disgusting display of sap?"

"You like it and you know it," Lucas laughed.

"Alright, fine, they're cute," Sami agreed with her arms crossed. "It's still gross."

"You're gross," Will sniffed as he followed Amir to the door. "So, um, yeah, I'll see you later."

"Uh huh," Amir smiled. He shifted on his feet a few times before pressing his lips to Will's. "Bye."

"Bye," Will stood at the door and waited until he saw the elevator doors close after Amir. When he closed the door, he saw his parents looking at him with matching expressions. "What?"

"Nothing," Lucas said with a small smile. "Nothing at all."

"So, are we telling the kids about this?" Will pointed between Lucas and Sami.

"Are you telling Ari about you and Amir?" Sami asked with a raised brow.

"Tell me about 'Mir what?" a soft voice asked from behind them. Ari, hair a tangled mess, face paint smeared everywhere, planted herself on Will's lap. "What about 'Mir?"

"Um, well," Will hadn't planned on telling Ari anything quite yet. Faced with her questions, though, he didn't see any reason to lie to her. "Amir and Daddy are dating now. He's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend 'Mir?" Ari clarified.

"Yeah, is that okay?" Will wondered.

"Uh-huh," Ari nodded, resting against Will. "Like 'Mir. He nice boyfriend."

"I'm glad he's Ari approved," Will said with a kiss to the top of her head. "Now, let's get breakfast ready."

"Daddy go on dates now?" Ari prattled on as she trailed Will. "Are you gonna get married? Will I get a brother or a sister? I want brother! Johnny needs 'nother boy. Said it's not fair."

Ari rambled on and on as Will attempted to make breakfast. Soon enough his siblings joined them at the kitchen island. Each of them loud and rumbustious, Will the happiest and wildest of them all.

* * *

Amir walked into his mother's hospital room with an extra pep in his step. Amal Paracha had been in the hospital for over six months. Her condition hadn't improved much. She would go in and out of comas. Her doctors insisted her brain needed time to heal itself from the inside out and not to give up hope.

Most days, Amir felt subdued, almost like he needed to act like he was in a mosque or church. Today, he couldn't hold in his emotions. Smiling at a nurse checking Amal's stats, Amir waited for her to leave before sitting next to his mother.

"Hi, Ammi," Amir said before looking over his shoulder and slipping into Urdu. "I feel like I've waited forever but Will and I are together, finally. I know that it's thanks to you. To everything you did. It wasn't right, what happened. I know that. But I'm still pretty thankful. I don't think I ever would have had the courage to approach Will without you."

Amir grabbed his mother's limp hand and squeezed once before standing up.

"I can't believe your plan worked after all," Amir cleared his throat. "Thank you, Ammi."

Amir pressed his tongue to the side of his cheek before turning around and walking away.

 **THE END**

* * *

Author's note:

I know some were expecting or hoping for Will and Sonny to reunite. I always intended for Will to end up with Amir, though. Also, I left the ending up to interpretation. Is Amir more DiMera-like than everyone thought? Maybe, maybe not.

Thank you so much to everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and/or following this story. I truly appreciate all the support.

I'm not sure about my next project. I've been feeling rather uninspired lately. I have a lot of unfinished stories I doubt I'll ever get around to finishing. Would anyone be interested in reading some of them? If I posted some of my unfinished work? Let me know, please.


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